Depths of the Damned
by bellezagotica
Summary: A year after Kagome was possessed, Sango sets out to save her with Miroku and InuYasha's help.
1. The Prologue

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**  
  
...The Prologue...  
  
**Disclaimer: I don't and never will own InuYasha.**  
  
**A/N: !!Warning!! Repetition used frequently!  
**

Kagome Higurashi. Just _hearing_ the name sent chills down your spine...Kagome Higurashi. She used to be Sango's best friend, until her body was corrupted by an evil spirit; no, make that an evil demon...A demon named Kojigoku, meaning "Hell Child"... Kagome Higurashi. She was the girl that invited her friends to 'experiment' the game "Light as a feather, stiff as a board". It was Kagome Higurashi's turn to lie in the middle when her body was corrupted...That had been a week ago, exactly one year after the incident...  
  
Sango, a chestnut-colored haired girl with hazel eyes, wearing a clad white uniform shirt and green skirt, walked down the hallway of her naturally boring school. Her best friend, Kagome, had gone here, too... Sango never spoke again after the incident, had not spoken to_ anyone_. But today, she couldn't help but overhear people making or spreading rumors. Make that Kagome Higurashi rumors...  
  
"I heard that that Higurashi chick went crazy and had to go to rehab. I mean, did you see the way how she'd stand up in the middle of class while sensei was teaching, and yell out some guy's name how she'd never forgive him? Some weird name, like InuYasha. I think his parents must've been dropped on their heads to name him _that_."  
  
Sango was starting to get pissed off...Her eyes turned into dancing fireballs...  
  
"How _dare_ you talk about her like that!!" she hissed.  
  
"So the mute finally speaks..." Sango flushed.  
  
Her eyes lost their fiery appearance, and softened, as Miroku, who just happened to come by, walked her away, so silently all the while. He was astonished, as well as delighted, that she was talking again. His Sango was talking again...!  
  
"Sango..." he breathed softly, stroking her hair.  
  
Sango blushed harder.  
  
"They—they made me so mad, talking about her like that..." Sango cried softly.  
  
"Her...? Her who...? Ohh..._her-her_...Yes, of course, Sango."  
  
"Even though she's...well...the way she is now, I still care for her...She's still my best friend, if she ever comes around..."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Sango's hands ran to her face as she sighed heavily.  
  
"Oh, Kagome..."  
  
Kagome Higurashi. It was her body that was corrupted by an evil demon named "Kojigoku". It was that incident that happened last week ago in the past, a year ago...Kagome Higurashi. She used to be that "sweet, young teenager". Now...she's a heartless bitch...  
  
...**6-13-04**...

_If you haven't seen it on my BIO, I'm changing my pen name AGAIN. InuYashaBishi334 is just waaaay too long (for me, that is) so from now on, at the end of the week--June 21, 2004--it's going to be **Lady Sango**. Would've made it **Sango **or **Sango-chan**, but they were taken, so it's just easier to make it **Lady Sango**._


	2. The Year Before

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED  
**  
...The Year Before...  
  
**Disclaimer: I don't and never will own InuYasha.  
**

Kagome Higurashi, a wavy raven-haired girl with brown eyes, heard the doorbell ring and smiled. She raced from her bedroom and descended down the staircase. Before answering the door, she made sure she looked good, and admired herself in the hallway mirror. She frowned as she pulled out the tucked white blouse from her pants, and smiled, turning the knob on the door. It burst open and happy chattering filled the air, as well as Kagome's ears... The first inside was Sango, her life-long best friend.  
  
Sango had long, flowing dark chestnut-colored hair that shined like there was no tomorrow when she was outside in the sunlight. She was much taller than Kagome, but of course, shorter than Miroku. She pulled off her pink hoody, and hung it on the rack. She walked over to Kagome, and the two best friends embraced for what seemed an eternity.  
  
InuYasha, a snowy-white long haired boy with amber orbs shining brightly, who was Kagome's boyfriend, hustled inside, since it was freezing out there, and Miroku, a boy with short obsidian hair pulled in a dragon's tail and had violet eyes, followed suit. Kagome embraced him too, although a bit quick for him, and her cheeks tinged with a bright magenta. She mumbled a quiet sorry, and stepped back as he brushed off the sleeves on the red sweater Kagome had given him for Christmas. InuYasha was her first boyfriend, and they had been dating for about a month, although Sango never really had a chance to get to know him.  
  
Miroku proceeded to turn off the hallway light. In cue, Kagome led her three friends down the dark hallway. Candles were lit and hung along the walls. Kagome's parents were out of town for the week and weekend, so as long as Kagome and her friends didn't break anything, her parents wouldn't know. Although her mom could tell so easily if anyone put one foot inside their dining room, which no one went into except for special occasions.  
  
Miroku tripped over himself, and "accidentally" fell atop Sango. She blushed like mad as he helped her up. Kagome tapped her foot impatiently as the two were gazing into each other's eyes.  
  
The group finally entered a small room, which also had candles lit and placed everywhere. The room smelled of fresh peaches. Peach-flavored candles were Kagome and Sango's favorite. In the middle amongst the room was a small coffee table and four cushions were placed around it, two on each side. Kagome and InuYasha sat on one side, and Sango and Miroku on the other.  
  
"Okay, so are you guys ready?" Kagome chirped.  
  
Everyone nodded simultaneously.  
  
"Well, then...who's first...?"  
  
InuYasha and Miroku pointed at solemn Sango, who sighed briefly and reluctantly walked over to a clear area on the carpeted floor, and settled herself down. The others followed and she smacked away a wandering hand.  
  
"Well, who's going to start?" Sango exclaimed, closing her eyes in a huff.  
  
"I will." Miroku sat down by her head, and looked at Kagome and InuYasha, who just sat themselves on each side of Sango. "You're leaving your boyfriend's house and he waves you goodbye. You start to hurry down the sidewalk and board the waiting city bus. A short amount of time flies by, and the bus stops as you pull the cord, and step off to arrive home. Unknown to you, a shadowy figure follows.  
  
"You happen to turn your head and you see the dark figure. You sprint into the dark forest to lose it...But it follows suit. You change your path and go into the thick trees, while the figure walks by." [Sango is breathing lightly and Miroku squeezes her hand as she frowns.]  
  
"You catch your breath and look up, horrified, as you see your boyfriend dead and hanging from the branches by a noose.  
  
"The figure comes from no where, and attacks you with a knife. It tears into your side..."  
  
Kagome and InuYasha started chanting with Miroku as they lifted Sango up with their fingertips:  
  
"Light as a feather, stiff as a board...light as a feather, stiff as a board...light as a feather...stiff as a board..."  
  
Sango's eyes twitched as she was lifted higher up, her nose barely touching the ceiling. Her eyes snapped open and she was dropped, accidentally, landing on Kagome and Miroku's backs. InuYasha just stood by and "feh"d.  
  
"I—I saw..._his_ face..." Sango whispered and trembled as Kagome nodded and patted her shoulder assuringly.  
  
"Well, who's next? How 'bout you, Kagome?" InuYasha interrupted curtly.  
  
"Outta the way, Inu," Kagome pushed InuYasha to the side and lay down in Sango's spot. It was warm in the room, but the spot was cold... She shrugged it off and closed her eyes, extending her fingers loosely. Sango started to speak, but InuYasha interrupted her again. Sango frowned and crawled over to Kagome's side and sat Indian-style as she closed her eyes.  
  
"You're in your bedroom. It's a cold spring day, and you just got back from the movies. You lean out your window, and it suddenly starts to rain. You slip and fall down to the concrete and you lay there, wondering how you didn't get hurt, falling from a three-story house.  
  
"You suddenly see something being pushed out from the window and realize it's a piano. You stand up and barely run out of the way as it crashes to the ground. You see a shadowed figure standing inside the window, and it leaps out onto the ground in front of you. You run off to the pool and try to get away from it, but it pushes you in, and starts drowning you..."  
  
"Light as a feather, stiff as a board...light as a feather, stiff as a board...light as a feather...stiff as a board..."  
  
Kagome felt herself being lifted into the air, higher and higher she went. After a few moments, she couldn't feel the presence of her friends anymore! She was descending below the earth's core! She then saw the face of a demon and closed her eyes fiercely, scared for her life.  
  
_'Is it the devil? Please, God, don't let it be...' _she thought anxiously.  
  
The face became clearer.  
  
"NO! STOP IT! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! LET ME GO BACK!" the frightened girl cried desperately.  
  
"My name is Naraku, but others like to think of me as Kojigoku..."  
  
The demon just chuckled. He turned his finger and Kagome twirled around in the air like a puppet.  
  
"Oh, I'll let you go... but it won't be the same..." it said.  
  
Kagome stared. What did the demon mean "_it won't be the same..._"? Naraku suddenly took shape, and lunged at her. Kagome shrieked as he entrapped her with his jaws. He then bit into her lower abdomen. Kagome shrieked again as blood poured from her wounds, the pain spreading throughout her body. His teeth sank in deeper once more, and then he released her from his jaws. With that, Kagome fell, no; her _spirit_ fell back into her body back on Earth.  
  
"Kagome! Kagome, are you all right??" Sango gasped.  
  
Kagome had blood smeared all over her white blouse. She had hate in her eyes and raised herself up on her legs and threw Sango against the wall, rushing from the house without a word.  
  
Sango looked up with a tear-stricken face and stared after Kagome as she crawled into Miroku's open arms. (InuYasha watched after his girlfriend sadly and sat back down on the couch reluctantly.) How could her best friend do that to her...? There was only _one _possibility... Her best friend was..._possessed_...


	3. Over and Over Comes the Nightmare

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED  
**  
...Over and Over Comes the Nightmare...  
  
**Disclaimer: I don't and never will own InuYasha.  
**  
Sango gasped as she woke up with a cold sweat. She pulled the covers over her protectively. The sixteen year-old had been having the same nightmare for quite some time now. And it was the _same one_ every night...  
  
It always had to do with Kagome being in her possessed state. The nightmare would always begin with Sango sitting in Kagome's room, which was always dark, cold, and musty for some reason. She would then hear Kagome's scream from another room. She would jump and dash to a door, trying frantically to open it. Always, the door would be locked, though she continued to pull on the door knob. Finally, it would unlock and the door would come crashing down, and the screams would stop. There standing in the doorway would be Kagome, eyes red with hate.  
  
Suddenly, InuYasha and Miroku would appear out of thin air, and would lie at Kagome's feet; paralyzed. Claws from Kagome's hands would suddenly retract and she would stab at InuYasha in the back, and start drinking his blood. Then the life would be sucked from him and his corpse would disappear.  
  
Sango would try and cry out, but no sound came, a lump forming in her throat...  
  
Kagome would then raise her other clawed hand and raise it above Miroku's throat...  
  
"No..." Sango would gasp, running to him, tears spilling from her eyes. She would try to jump in the way to stop Kagome from killing Miroku, but she always ended up being too late. Kagome, then satisfied after another drink, would peer down at Sango with maniacal pleasure. A voice would fill the air, an indescribable voice:  
  
"Sango, here is your _best friend_. She kills the ones you love, but do you still care for her...? Now would you...? I wouldn't..."  
  
Then the dream would always end with a knife embedding itself in Sango's chest and Kagome would wither away, disappearing into the darkness...  
  
Now here Sango continued to fearfully sit, covers over her.  
  
"This has got to stop," the girl promised to herself, "I can't live like this anymore,"  
  
Sango turned on her side and fell asleep.

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP!  
  
_'No, not already...not the alarm clock...'_ Sango thought as shut off her cursed alarm clock. Sliding out of bed into her fuzzy blue slippers, she made way downstairs to the kitchen nook and started fixing breakfast.  
  
As she took a bite from her toast, she glanced at the clock.  
  
"I'm gonna be late for the bus!"  
  
Sango ran up the stairs, her toast still in her hand, and pulled off her robe and pajama pants. Hurriedly, she ran down, toast in mouth, pulling on her skirt and white blouse, and slung her back bag over her shoulder. She sprinted to the bus spot, staring at her watch, and sat on the bench.  
  
_'Guess the bus is late,'_ Sango thoughtfully bit into her toast.  
  
Cars passed by and so did the minutes, until the sixteen year-old's cell phone rang. She pulled the ringing cellular from her bag.  
  
"Hello?" she murmured.  
  
"Hey, Sango! You wanna go to the mall?"  
  
"Ayame? But...don't we have school?"  
  
"School? 'Course not! It's Saturday! So, do you?"  
  
"Arg! I thought it was a school day and I hurried out here for _nothing!_" Sango sighed as she paused. "Okay, I'll pick you up in fifteen?"  
  
"Great! I'll be waiting!"  
  
Sango flipped off the phone and stuffed it back into the pocket of her knapsack.

Sango beeped the horn on her green Volkswagen convertible and sighed comfortably. She changed into her black tank-top and camouflage pants. It was a nice autumn day and the sun was shining.  
  
Ayame, a red-haired girl with bright green eyes, wearing a pink top and long dark, dark gray pants, locked the door behind her, and ran from her house, hopping over the car door into the passenger seat.  
  
"Hey, watch it... You might dent my new baby," Sango joked.

Shopping. Women's favorite past-time. Sango and Ayame of course enjoyed partaking in it as well. They went in and out of stores, a new bag in their hands each time. The stopped outside one store and peered through the window. Inside it on display was a new platinum gold watch.  
  
"Oh, wow! Miroku wanted this," Sango gasped as her hazel eyes glittered.  
  
"Then buy it, Sango! He'll love it!" Ayame squealed.

Sango admired the watch in her palm.  
  
"I love it, and I know Miroku will, too!"  
  
A black figure came and snatched the watch from the startled teenager's hand.  
  
"HEY! GIVE THAT BACK! Here, hold this for me, Ayame. Thanks... COME BACK HERE!"  
  
Sango took off after the shadowed figure, cutting through the crowed. She saw it going in the elevator to the top floor, and smirked. She ran up the stairs, skipping a step or two, and reached the top. She saw outside the elevator door.  
  
DING.  
  
"Hello. Now give my watch back to me,"  
  
Sango reached for the man's hand. Instead, he grabbed hold of her wrist with a strong grip.  
  
"Let go of my wrist, you ass."  
  
The man tried to twist her wrist around and Sango grit her teeth in pain. She saw a tiny figure of Ayame at the bottom. She instead kicked the man in the leg and pushed him over the railing, grabbing her watch before he fell down...  
  
...  
  
SPLASH!  
  
The man landed in the fountain and police officers circled him, handcuffing him. They drove him off in a police car to the city jail.  
  
"Sango!" Ayame cried, hugging Sango who just reached the bottom floor.

"So I got in the paper—'Teenager Fends Off Convict'. I like it." Sango admired the headlines.  
  
"Hey, check this out: Local town's girl Sango Takemira defends herself from the wanted convict, Gatchiemk, who tried to steal an expensive item from her. Sango, do you know what this means?" Ayame exclaimed.  
  
"What," Sango questioned as she finger-combed her hair.  
  
"You're, well, like, a hero! And, like, everyone at school is gonna be, like, wow! Especially those punks Hiten and Manten!"  
  
"...I never thought about that... Oh, hold on. Let me call Miroku so I can bring his present. Hold on a sec,"  
  
Sango left the room and dialed her boyfriend's number on the phone hanging from the wall.

"Bye, Sango! Thanks!" Miroku waved as Sango left his house.  
  
"You're welcome! Love you and ciao!" With that, Sango drove back to her home with Ayame, who was sleeping over.

That night, Sango and Ayame lay awake, talking about typical stuff—clothes, guys, shopping and "important" accessories, and what happened earlier at the mall.  
  
"Miaw?"  
  
Sango looked down and saw her cat, Kilala, who had a cream-vanilla coat with black stripes across her back and tails. She had found Kilala as a stray kitten in the alley behind her house one morning and took her home and fed her, then eventually adopted Kilala. What puzzled Sango though was the second tail her cat had. She shook her head and stroked the cat's back. Sango gasped as she woke up with a cold sweat. She had the same nightmare again...  
  
"Are you okay, Sango?" Ayame asked.  
  
"Y—yeah, yeah...I'm fine... J—just a bad dream..."


	4. Discovering Her Secret

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**  
  
...Discovering Her Secret...  
  
**Disclaimer: I don't and never will own InuYasha.**

****

"Sango—you _sure_ you're okay?" repeated a very worried Ayame.  
  
"I already _told_ you—I'm fine! Don't worry so much! Remember the _last_ time when you did? You nearly had a nervous breakdown!" Sango convinced her friend as she held Ayame on the shoulders, who tried to pace back and forth across the floor.  
  
"I know, I know..."  
  
"I just need to talk to Miroku, that's all. And I _will_ be fine. You'll see,"

* * *

A very perturbed Sango slammed down the phone into its cradle and stormed into the kitchen nook, where Ayame awaited. Sango sat herself at the kitchen counter in one of the cushioned seats and pounded her fists onto the counter-top.  
  
"I don't _need_ psychiatry! ARG! Miroku just doesn't understand! I'll—"  
  
"—Sango? Not to bother you, or anything, but my mom needs me home now to help her get ready for a wedding she's attending. Can you drive me home right now?" Ayame interrupted.  
  
"Yeah, okay," Sango huffed.

* * *

"Bye, Sango! Thanks, again!" Ayame waved as she hurried into her home. Sango backed up her car too quickly and made tire marks on the asphalt. She sped off home.

* * *

"Miroku—I—don't—need—psychiatry—so—let—me—GO!" Sango was kicking frantically as Miroku forced her into a chair at the psychiatrist's office.  
  
"I'm not doing this because you're _crazy_, Sango, I just want to see what your nightmare's meaning is," Miroku assured her as he finally got her sitting straight in the chair.  
  
"You just say that to be nice and so I'll shut up..." Sango muttered to herself.

* * *

"_See?_" A very happy Miroku asked as he dragged an aloof Sango, who was attached to a leach, the handle in Miroku's hand. "It wasn't_ all _bad,"  
  
"That psychiatrist can go to hell..." Sango growled.  
  
"Umm..." Miroku mumbled awkwardly.

* * *

The next day, which was a Monday, Sango decided to skip school... After the bus left the bus stop, Sango crept from her house, wearing black jeans with little rebel chains dangling from the belt loops and a black shirt with a pink kitten on the front and a loose jacket over top.  
  
Sango, obviously, was in a bad mood this morning (which was why she wanted to skip school) and was wearing clothes to fit her mood. As she rounded the bend on the avenue, she looked around before entering a shabby shop. She pushed the door as she entered and walked up to the counter.  
  
"What'll it be?" A dark-skinned man with dark sandy blonde hair at the counter asked Sango as she leaned against it.  
  
"You know it, Fez..." Sango murmured as she looked around.  
  
Fez nodded and slid the door on his side of the counter open and pulled out a small white box. He placed it on the counter and pushed it toward Sango. She took it and placed it in the front pocket of the jacket.  
  
"I'll pay later, I'm broke." Sango sighed.  
  
"Okay, babe," Fez replied.  
  
"Later,"  
  
Sango left the shop and hurried down the bend from where she came. (**A.N.:** Now everyone must be wondering what's going on, right? Well, Sango is doing "business" that Miroku doesn't know of. And if any of you were wondering, no, Sango is not cheating on Miroku)

* * *

Sango opened the door to her house and shut it behind her. She took the white box from the jacket's pocket and tossed her jacket on the rack and slowly made her way up the staircase. The steps creaked as she stepped on them and she finally reached the top landing. She went down the hallway to her bedroom and went through. She closed the door behind her.  
  
Sango sat on her bedroom and opened the white box. She pulled out a small white stick from it and pulled out her lighter. She held the cigarette to the flame and closed the flask before putting it away. She puffed out a small cloud of smoke as she opened a window. Just as doing so, the bedroom door opened, and in stepped Miroku.  
  
Sango stood frozen in her spot as Miroku gaped at her, a surprised look as his eyes widened.  
  
"Sango..._you_—" Miroku stuttered. Without finishing his sentence, he lunged forward and grabbed the box and threw it out the window, luckily landing amongst the dumpster. He crossed his arms and looked down upon Sango.  
  
"_No!_ I'm still paying for that!" Sango cried.  
  
"Sango, how could you? I can't believe it... You..you _smoke?_" Miroku whispered.  
  
"No," Sango lied.  
  
"You're lying. _Don't do_ this to me. You _have_ to stop!"  
  
"...It's the _only_ way to keep my mind off Kagome!" Sango burst as tears spilled down her cheeks.  
  
Miroku stared sadly as a long pause of silence washed over them, before he sat down and wrapped her in his arms. She sat there unmoving. Miroku inched his face close to her ear and whispered,  
  
"Sango, I'm _going_ to help you. Cigarettes can give you cancer. I will help you...because I _love_ you,"  
  
"But—I—Kagome..."  
  
"Don't worry... This is for the best..."  
  
Miroku moved in quietly and placed a chaste peck on the girl's lips. She returned it silently.  
  
"I love you, too, Miroku..."

* * *

After that, Miroku kept his eye on Sango and devoted his time to help her. He took her back to the psychiatrist's office, which helped her a lot. Slowly, as time gradually passed, Sango finally improved.  
  
"Oh, Miroku! I—I feel great! Like I'm a brand-new person, starting a brand- new life!" Sango exclaimed one day.  
  
"Aren't you feeling much better now?" Miroku asked happily.  
  
"Yep, definitely! C'mon, race you to my house!" — "Haha, I beat ya! Now...don't I get my prize...?" Sango chirped.  
  
"Yes, and here you go..."  
  
Sango kissed Miroku and then ran into her house, pulling him by the arm.  
  
"Are you hungry?—because I _definitely_ am."

—

"Ramen _always_ hits the spot!" Sango sighed as she picked up several long noodles with her chopsticks.  
  
Miroku could only nod before he swallowed,  
  
"My friend—InuYasha—is _obsessed_ with this stuff!—He never had it until Kagome gave him her bowl."  
  
"InuYasha...you know, I never really had a chance to meet him." Sango finally mentioned.  
  
"Well, he was at Kagome's house..."  
  
"I know, but I never really got to meet him. I got a bad impression from him after he kept interrupting me..."  
  
"Well, he's a good guy, shy, and a little inconsiderate, but once you get to know him, he's great."  
  
"Oh." Sango mumbled through her ramen.

* * *

The week after next, everyone was back to school (the week before was no school; confusing, huh?). Sango scanned the crowds, just curious, because she was bored. One girl amazed her though. She had the same face as Kagome's! They looked exactly the same, but this girl's face was harsher and paler; Kagome was happier. You would've sworn Kagome was her reincarnation or something!  
  
Sango walked up to the girl and tapped her shoulder.  
  
"Um, not being rude or nosey, but I—just...noticed...that you look exactly like my friend Kagome. Are you cousins or..._what?_"  
  
The girl stared at Sango, who shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"No, I'm not. I'm Kikyou...not Kagome..." she mumbled softly as she gazed at Sango through her half-way lidded gray orbs.  
  
Somehow, Sango felt she just had to befriend Kikyou. She didn't know if it was because she really liked this girl, or, if it was just because of the close resemblance between Kagome and Kikyou...  
  
After that day, Sango got to know Kikyou pretty well...like she got to know Kagome when she was still around...  
  
One thing was, she definitely was different from Sango's Kagome. She wasn't as sweet as her, maybe a bit of a jerk, sometimes, but Sango didn't care.  
  
As Kikyou and Sango kept talking and eating their lunch, Ayame sat herself down next to Sango.  
  
"Hey, Sango. Um, I haven't met your friend yet... I'm Ayame. And you...?" the red-headed girl chirped.  
  
"Kikyou," the Kagome look-alike responded.  
  
"Kikyou is seventeen, only five months older than me," Sango commented, biting into the tuna and mayonnaise sandwich, which was her favorite, in fact. Sometimes, Sango felt she was a cat for liking tuna so much...  
  
"Yecch! What_ is_ this junk??" Sango choked, spitting out the rancid condiments.  
  
"Tuna and mayonnaise," Ayame said stupidly, laughing at herself afterwards.  
  
"It tastes like a week old!!" Sango reproved.  
  
"Ewwwww! Gross! Get it _away_ from me!" Ayame shrilled, tossing the sandwich that Sango held in front of her to the floor. "Oops..."  
  
Ayame's eyes wondered to the floor. Somebody's foot stood there, which was now covered with Sango's sandwich... Her bright green orbs wondered up the leg and at the face of a sneering boy who stood there, looking at the trio coldly.  
  
"What do_ you_ want, Naraku...?" Sango barked as she glared at the dark-long- haired boy with black eyes.  
  
Kikyou narrowed her eyes in the boy's direction.  
  
"Hello, Sango dear. New friend to replace your _dead_ one?" Naraku laughed, a tinge of evil in it.  
  
Sango felt like she was about to burst, and spilled every inappropriate word at him, on the verge to punch him straight in the mouth.  
  
"SHUT UP!" Sango shouted, pushing him to the ground. By now, a group of sophomores gathered to watch.  
  
"_Fight_, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, _fight!_" the crowd roared.  
  
The furious sixteen year-old knew better not to attack Naraku, knowing one: he was three years older than her; two: several teachers were hurrying over. Sango hurried and left the cafeteria with Ayame and Kikyou before the teachers knew she was gone.  
  
Naraku stared after Sango and muttered to himself,  
  
"I'll get you back, Sango, and I'll make _sure_ of it that you can follow your little friend Kagome into the next world..."


	5. Ramen and Phone Calls

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**  
  
...Ramen and Phone Calls...

**Disclaimer: I don't and never will own InuYasha.**

That incompetent, lowly, horrible jerk, Naraku...How could he be like that? Making Sango feel bad about her friend's loss. Well, Sango was already heart-broken of the loss of her life-time friend, Naraku didn't have to go rubbing it in her face! Sango punched a nearby locker and made a small dent in it. She cracked her knuckles and continued to pace back and forth in the hallways, waiting for her boyfriend to come out from his class. He was a senior, only two years older than her. So his classes ended at different times opposite Sango's.  
  
Sango hit the locker again. Practicing to see how hard she could knock out Naraku if she ever met him alone—away from the school, at least. She thought twice about the idea, and imagined what Miroku would say. She put on her best impression of him and muttered to herself, "Sango, you..._why_ would you want to go by yourself and fight Naraku? Look at him! He's _three years older than you!_ You can't go and fight him, if you two ever meet up by yourselves, I just won't let you."  
  
"Who're you talking to, Sango?" came a voice from behind the pacing girl.  
  
"Huh??" Sango nearly had fallen backwards if Miroku hadn't caught her. She hadn't realized he'd been standing behind her that whole time! "Oh, uh, no one, Miroku. Just, uh...Oh, look! There's InuYasha!"  
  
Luckily for Sango, she didn't have to make up an excuse, InuYasha came walking down the hallway toward them and Miroku ran up to him. Sango stood still in her spot and didn't realize it when Kikyou tapped her on the shoulder.  
  
"Sango....Sango....Earth to Sango....Sango! Listen to me!!"  
  
"WHAT? Oh, it's you, Kikyou, sorry. Wasn't paying attention..." Sango apologized nervously.  
  
"Yeah, I can see that. Checking out your boyfriend again, huh?"  
  
Sango blushed and started stammering.  
  
"Uh, n-n-no....He, uh, just wanted t-t-to t-tell me somet-t-thing..."  
  
"Yeah, sure, Sango. Anyways, Ayame wants to know if you want to come with me and her to go somewhere, or something." Kikyou started.  
  
"Uh, okay." Sango responded slowly. "I'll meet up with you in a second, okay? Oh, hold on. Let me introduce you to InuYasha,"  
  
Even though Kikyou protested, although she really did want to see InuYasha, Sango dragged her down the hallway and nudged her into InuYasha. Kikyou felt a blush creeping up on her cheeks and she lowered her eyes as InuYasha stared at her.

.  
  
InuYasha stared. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever _seen!_ How could he have not seen her? InuYasha suddenly stopped staring and poked her on the shoulder. She gazed up at him. That beautiful snowy-white hair...those handsome golden eyes...Kikyou almost felt she was drooling.  
  
"Hey. I'm InuYasha." The hanyou introduced himself.  
  
"....Uh...." Kikyou suddenly froze and leaned over to Sango. "Sango! I forgot my name!" she whispered.  
  
Sango sweat-dropped.  
  
"This is Kikyou, InuYasha." She answered for her embarrassed friend.  
  
"Cool. Hey, Kikyou. Do you...want to see a movie...or something...?" Kikyou suddenly blushed again and slowly nodded her head. "Cool. See you on Friday?"  
  
Kikyou nodded her head again.  
  
"Cool. Well, I'll see you Friday," Kikyou, again, nodded and waved gingerly after her new boyfriend.  
  
"Bye, my hanyou..." she muttered under her breath.  
  
"Huh? Didn't catch that last part..." Sango grinned at her friend who was shrinking in size in embarrassment. Kikyou looked around and pointed at Miroku.  
  
"Hey, Sango, there's Miroku. Go—talk—to—him."  
  
Sango, the one who was now blushing, walked up to Miroku.  
  
Kikyou stared after InuYasha as she watched him getting his books out from his locker, stuffing them into his book bag, and slung it over his shoulder. He saw Kikyou watching him, blushed, and waved at her. Kikyou waved back.  
  
"...Bye, InuYasha!"  
  
"Bye, Kikyou." He replied.  
  
Kikyou sighed dreamily. She had been spying on InuYasha for a while now throughout the year, and her heart began to melt when he said her name. She never had a boyfriend before. Sure, a whole bunch of the guys liked her for her looks, mostly, for her show-offy clothes, but she hated all those guys. Too stupid for her, she told herself.  
  
Sango tapped Kikyou on the shoulder after she finished talking to Miroku and Kikyou snapped from her daydreams. Sango grinned at her friend.  
  
"I saw you blushing when InuYasha said your name..." Sango teased. Kikyou flushed and stuttered.  
  
"That's...not...true...I...I was getting hot, that's all." Kikyou stated matter-of-factly.  
  
"Yeah, sure you were!" Sango playfully hit Kikyou in the shoulder and the two walked outside the school vicinities, where Ayame was waiting for them. She kept waving them to hurry.  
  
"C'mon, you two slowpokes! The bus was about to leave without you!" Ayame exclaimed.  
  
Sango and Kikyou exchanged looks and dashed after the bus.

* * *

As Sango entered her home, she threw her book bag onto the floor and led Ayame and Kikyou inside.  
  
"Wow...nice place you got here." Kikyou sighed.  
  
"It suits me enough." Sango replied shortly.  
  
"_Enough?_" Kikyou repeated astoundingly.  
  
"Well, Miroku's place is plenty bigger than this,"  
  
"Well, of course, Sango! His grandmother was a millionaire and she gave him the house!" Ayame said. "I swear, it's like a mansion!"  
  
"It's not a mansion, Ayame." Sango muttered.  
  
"Well, everything that's bigger than my house, I consider a mansion." Ayame sniffed.  
  
Sango shrugged and led them into the kitchen.

* * *

"You know, Kikyou. InuYasha looooooooves ramen. I suggest if you want to get on his good side, give him a lot of ramen. And potato chips." Sango gulped through swallowing ramen noodles.  
  
"Sango, I think every boy on this planet like potato chips!" Ayame laughed.  
  
"Yeah..." Kikyou agreed. "You don't mind if a take a couple of this ramen stuff to InuYasha tomorrow, do you, Sango?"  
  
Sango shook her head.  
  
"Take as many as you want! I need to get rid of some. I have a life-time supply! Take as many you'd like! Please!"  
  
Kikyou smiled and stuffed containers of ramen into her bag.  
  
"I can't wait to see the look on his face tomorrow."  
  
"He'll be drooling, that's for sure." Ayame mentioned. "Hey, did you see that new guy, Kouga? He was in my class today. He kept staring at me during geometry."  
  
"I think someone in this room has a crush on a certain someone..." Sango and Kikyou sang together.  
  
Ayame blushed and shook her head furiously.  
  
"No! The guy's a total dunce!" she stated.  
  
"But, Ayame, I could've sworn you liked guys that were dumber than you...?"  
  
Ayame shot a look at the giggling girls and frowned.  
  
"Well, at least I'm not all like, 'Oh, look there goes InuYasha!' or, 'Oh, hiiiiiiii, Mirokuuuuuuu...'"  
  
Both Sango and Kikyou frowned.  
  
"Not true. You're just jealous because we have boyfriends and you don't."  
  
"Oh, yeah? Well, for your infor_mation_, Kouga just asked me out this afternoon!" Ayame exclaimed, frustrated.  
  
Sango gasped.  
  
"You like Kouga, don't you? Huh? Don't you?"  
  
"Well...I...Oh, well, whaddya know? Look, there goes the phone."  
  
Sango swung her hair out behind her and held the phone to her ear.  
  
"...Hello?"  
  
"Hi, Sango. Is Kikyou there? Not that I care or anything..." Sango grinned to herself.  
  
"Why, yes, _INUYASHA_. As a matter of _fact_, she _is here right now_..." Sango answered as Kikyou nearly fainted.  
  
"Well, could you give her the phone?" InuYasha asked impatiently.  
  
"Yeah, but I think she's just fainted..." Sango muttered.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Nothing, just...here she is!" Sango spluttered and pushed the phone in Kikyou's direction. She held a shaky hand up to the receiver and her voice quivered a bit.  
  
"H-h-hey, I-I-InuYasha..."

* * *

Kikyou hung up the phone after their conversation as Ayame and Sango flooded her with questions.  
  
"What'd he say?" Ayame prodded.  
  
"Did he want to say he looooooooooooved you?" Sango cooed.  
  
"No, Sango. Wait. Actually, he did want to say that..." Kikyou blushed.  
  
"Ah-ha! I knew it!"  
  
"InuYasha and Kikyou—sitting in a tree—K-I-S-S-I-N-G—First comes love—then comes marriage—"  
  
"Shut up, Ayame!" Kikyou mumbled under her breath and sighed. InuYasha had just told her that he loved her more than anyone else in the entire world. Kikyou felt as if she'd faint. As a matter of fact, she did.  
  
"Kikyou? Kikyou, stop sleeping on the floor." Ayame said. Sango sweat- dropped.  
  
"...Ayame, she's not sleeping. She fainted!" Sango replied. "Kikyou...Oh, Kikyou..."  
  
Sango continued to fan her friend's face, but Kikyou wouldn't budge.  
  
"She fainted because she thought of InuYasha." Sango stated. "How sweet. Widdle Kikwo fainted because of widdle old InuWasha..."  
  
Ayame burst out laughing and rolled on the floor as she clutched her sides. 


	6. Where Are You?

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**  
  
...Where Are You?...

**Disclaimer: I don't and never will own InuYasha. **

**A/N: YAY! I'm so happy! I've been eating ramen, so now I'm happy. And just a note for people: InuYasha is _only_ going with Kikyou because she looks a lot like Kagome. But I still think Kikyou is cool, but I guess people are right about Kikyou not getting with InuYasha—she's dead, the poor girl. AH! Don't get mad at me!**

****

When Kikyou had awoken, she was surprised to see that she had been collapsed on the floor and found her two friends roaring with laughter at her. Kikyou flushed and pulled herself up into a chair. Ayame started making kissing noises and Kikyou shot her a piercing glare. Ayame immediately silenced.  
  
"So..." Sango started awkwardly.  
  
Kikyou stared.  
  
"Yes...?" she pressed as Sango blushed nervously.  
  
"Uh...what'd he...say?"  
  
"...Uh...That he, uh, loved me....and stuff..." she murmured embarrassedly.  
  
"InuYasha??! InuYasha said that he loved you?? He's not that loving sort of person!" Ayame burst as Kikyou frowned, completely embarrassed.  
  
"Well...he _did_, as a matter of fact." Kikyou stated matter-of-factly.  
  
"...Oh..."  
  
"Why are we even talking about this??" Sango suddenly exclaimed.  
  
Kikyou and Ayame froze.  
  
"I mean, our lives aren't meant to criticize about InuYasha and junk! Am I right??" Kikyou nodded her head in agreement.  
  
"Ayame...?"  
  
"Right. Of course...heh, heh...Sorry." Ayame murmured.  
  
"Welp, I'd better get back home—" Kikyou suddenly said.  
  
"I'll drop you off home and Ayame too."  
  
"Thanks,"

* * *

Sango drove on her way back home, but decided to stop by Miroku's house. She stopped outside his home and walked up to his door and knocked. It was dark inside. Sango looked at her watch and realized that it was late. He was probably getting in bed... Sango sighed dreamily to herself. Miroku...in bed...  
  
_'Wait! EW! I can't think like that! That pervert's really rubbed off on me...Oh, well, it's worth it,'_ she thought to herself and knocked again.  
  
She half expected to see the lights turn on and he'd come and open the door in his silky purple pajamas, but that never came...  
  
"Where are you, Mir...?" Sango whispered worriedly.  
  
She walked back to the car and drove off home.

* * *

Sango unlocked her door and stepped inside, only to find Miroku lying on her couch, staring up with a big grin at her. Sango froze for a minute and couldn't find herself to move at all. She only just stood there until she shrieked a loud, happy, "MIROKU!" and leaped on top of him and started smothering him with hugs and kisses.  
  
"Where the hell were you...?" she whispered as placed a kiss on his lips. "You scared me, not being home this late..."  
  
"That's what I wanted to know...Why were you coming home so late?" Miroku groaned as he kissed her back.  
  
"I was late because I was looking for you..." she moaned.  
  
Kilala sat on the carpet and stared wide-eyed at her mistress lying in an awkward position on her boyfriend. The two-tailed cat mewled and curled herself up on her cat bed and fell asleep in an instant.  
  
"Miroku—we'd—better—stop—before—we—get—too—far..." she managed to say and Miroku nodded as she got off from him.

* * *

Sango awoke the next morning early as the sunlight filled her bedroom and she rubbed her eyes drowsily. Saturday... That meant...no school... Sango smiled sleepily and flopped back on her pillow, and was astonished to find that it was alive and that it moved. She relaxed as she realized it was only Miroku.  
  
Wait...

_MIROKU_ WAS HER _PILLOW?!_ AND HE'S IN HER _BED_ _WITH_ _HER?!_ How dare him... _Ooh?_ Maybe this _was_ a good thing...

She fell asleep in his arms and their light snoring filled the room.

* * *

Sango awoke again as Kilala nudged her for breakfast. Finally giving up in defeat, Sango arose and followed her pet downstairs.  
  
Kilala ate happily as Sango sat at the kitchen counter, slumped over her cereal, and meowed loudly.  
  
"I'm awake!" she suddenly gasped.  
  
She didn't realize it when Miroku came noiselessly downstairs and took a seat next to her.  
  
He tapped her.  
  
"AAH!" she then glared at him. "Wanna give me a _heart attack?_"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"Why would I want to do that..."  
  
"'Cause you just did!"  
  
"...But you'd be _dead_ and on the floor right now..."  
  
She stared at him.  
  
"...Whatever."  
  
Miroku sniggered.  
  
"I love you in the mornings!"  
  
She shot him another death stare and then slumped over her cereal again as she ate through spoonfuls. Kilala mewled and scratched at the door, obviously wanting outside to do "business". Sango sighed and picked up a remote-like thing and pressed the big red button on it. Immediately, the door swung open and the cat dashed outside. Sango pressed the button again and the door closed.  
  
"I really need to get my kitty a kitty door..." Sango sighed.  
  
"Why? You've got that remote there. Why would you need a cat door?" Miroku questioned.  
  
"Because eventually the remote won't work anymore and I'd have to get off my bottom-side and open that door. It's really hard to open, by the way. You have to keep pulling at that God-forsaken doorknob until it opens. Exactly why I have this convenient little thing here."  
  
"...I highly doubt that InuYasha will stay with Kikyou for long. He's gonna realize that he loves Kagome better."  
  
"Where did _that _come from? I'm talking about...about _kitty doors_ and you suddenly talk about those two—Yeah, they are definitely not going to stay together too long."  
  
All of a sudden, the phone started to ring. Miroku jumped slightly as Sango walked over to the phone and answered it.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"InuYashadumpedmeandnowIdon'thaveaboyfriendandI'mcryinglikeababyohSangowhata mIgoingtodoIlovehimbuthedumpedmeforyourbestfriendKagomewhoIdon'tevenknowifsh e'saliveornotbuthelovesherbetterthanmeandwe'vebarelygoneoutforevenadayortwo! !!!" (Translation: InuYasha dumped me and now I don't have a boyfriend and I'm crying like a baby—Oh, Sango, what am I going to do? I love him, but he dumped me for your best friend Kagome, who I don't even know if she's alive or not, but he loves her better than me and we've barely gone out for even a day or two!!!! **Kagome is alive, everyone just thinks she's dead or was taken somewhere, poor Kagome... T.T**)  
  
"Kikyou—Kikyou—Calm down! Please! I'll...I'll help you find someone else—"  
  
"—NO! InuYasha's the only one for me!"  
  
"Kikyou—"  
  
CLICK.  
  
"...That went well." Sango muttered sarcastically. "InuYasha dumped her."  
  
"I knew it."  
  
"We both did, Miroku." She sighed. "I'm not going to hear the end of this. I'm gonna get caught in the middle of this, and you probably will, too, Kikyou and InuYasha won't want to see each other."  
  
"_Especially Kikyou._"


	7. The Girl Revealed in the Picture

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**

****

...The Girl Revealed in the Picture...

**Disclaimer: **sigh** About _how many times_ have I repeated it? **grumbles **I solemnly swear I do not own InuYasha and its characters or whatnot.**

**A/N: Okay, reviewers—I still like Kikyou a whole bunch, I don't know if everyone does, but since most people like InuKag...I put them together. Although I still like InuKik. Don't get angry at me! I'm doing what pretty much everyone likes—Inu is leaving Kik because he was dating Kag and it would be worse matters if she all of a sudden walked in on InuKik and saw her boyfriend dating her supposed rival, now wouldn't it? I'm just trying to please people—I'm being a good citizen person thing. Now...please. Here is the story. Enjoy.**

****

Well, matters were worse for Kikyou. Her one true love had left her for his first girlfriend. She didn't even know why, actually. All she knew was that her InuYasha was going out with that wretched Kagome girl and all of a sudden, Kagome perhaps eloped, so InuYasha was left alone, saw Kikyou, asked her out, and then dumped her the next day. Kikyou couldn't stand it; she could hardly bear it. How would you feel if the one person you loved and had eternal feelings for, left you for some other girl? Heartbroken. That's how anybody with a heart would feel. And that's how Kikyou was feeling right now.

"I can't believe it! It's barely been two _days_ and we're already finished! Through! Done with! That arrogant, selfish, greedy, yet adorable hanyou of mine... Why don't you understand...?" She cried to herself.

KNOCK, KNOCK.

"Who's there?"

"Sango."

"Come in..."

"Hey. You okay...?"

"Yeah, I guess so..."

"Sorry about InuYasha breaking up with you, Kik,"

"It's okay, really. I'll get over it, honestly." Kikyou faltered a fake smile and slumped over her desk again.

Sango walked over to Kikyou's tableside and found a picture of InuYasha and Kikyou together; Kikyou was hugging InuYasha to death. Sango laughed to herself. She turned away from the picture and found Kikyou staring at it. Sango flushed in embarrassment and guilt.

"That was the first day when he asked me out...He came over here and my mom took a picture..." Kikyou sniveled and buried her face in her arms. Sango averted her eyes from the picture of InuYasha and felt a pang of anger towards him for a moment, but it went away as quickly as it had come.

"I'm sorry, Sango." Sango looked over at Kikyou who had been wiping away a stray tear. "I'm sorry you have to see me acting this way. I'm being childish. You don't have to stay if you don't want to. I understand."

"No, Kikyou, don't say that. I—it's okay. I don't mind—really." Sango mumbled, shaking her head.

Kikyou smiled again and glanced over at the picture of them. She picked it up and tossed it onto the bed face-down. She frowned and merely said,

"I don't _need _InuYasha. Nobody really_ needs_ anything. It's only a matter of wanting. So I don't need InuYasha, because I don't want him anymore." Sango frowned slightly but then turned her head away at the picture. She picked it up again and started picking at the chipped edge of the glass frame and gasped as she dropped the picture frame.

"Oh—my—God—" Sango suddenly started to feel faint and fell to the floor. "Oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God..." She kept mumbling. "No—no—no—it—it _can't_ be—it just _can't_. No—she's..."

"What? Sango—what is it?" Kikyou whispered as she gazed at her friend.

Sango held the broken picture frame up to Kikyou wordlessly.

Kikyou frowned and looked down at the picture.

"What? I don't see anything _wrong_ with the picture...except InuYasha is kinda grinning like a bit of a retard, but I don't see anything—"

Kikyou also dropped the picture frame to the ground and the glass shattered across the room slowly. The picture fell out from the frame. There in the middle of the picture was InuYasha and Kikyou hugging each other, but far back in the distance of the picture, a figure of a girl wearing strange clothes could be seen. The clothes looked exactly like the school uniform, only the normal uniform shirt was black instead of white, the hood-like material that went around the neck was red and so was the skirt. That...that hair. It was so familiar; Sango had seen it so many times. That familiar wavy black hair...

..._Kagome_...

"It's—that—Higurashi girl...your best friend... I've seen her so many times before she died, and _never_ did she wear clothes like that! Why would she—" Kikyou murmured.

"She _wouldn't_ wear those clothes. I know she wouldn't. She's not that type; she looks more like she's in a possessed state, like she was before she left us all at her house when we played "Light as a feather; stiff as a board"..." Sango remarked.

"Man... Those clothes really _clash_..." Kikyou commented.

Sango frowned.

"Well, they _do!_" She pouted.

Sango frowned again.

"Whatever...Listen, I gotta go. I need to talk to Miroku about this..."

"...Okay, bye, Sango..." Kikyou sighed.

* * *

"I don't know, Sango... It probably _is_ her... It just seems—impossible." Miroku sighed as Sango told him about it over the phone. "We don't even know what really happened to Kagome."

"I know that, Miroku, it's just, well, I _saw her with my own two eyes!_ It's her! Sure, she doesn't dress like that, but it doesn't mean it's not her. I, uh, happened to snag the picture from Kikyou's room. I'll scan it and send it to your computer right now." Sango said.

"'Kay." He muttered.

Sango set the phone down on her bed and took the picture from her bag and placed it on the scanner face-down. She pressed the "Scan" button and it immediately sent itself over to Miroku's computer.

"I sent it."

"Yeah, I'm looking at it...but I don't see—THERE! I see it! I mean, I see her. My God, you wouldn't know it was her with those clothes on if she didn't have that extremely wavy hair..." Miroku mentioned.

Sango nodded to herself.

"I don't know, Miroku, I just don't know. I wish we somehow knew where she was now..."

"I'm afraid to imagine where she is, Sango," Miroku mumbled.

* * *

Kikyou slammed her fists onto the desk and stared at her phone for a long time. Not hesitating, she picked it up and dialed a number and let it ring three times, until someone picked it up.

"Hello?" a familiar voice answered on the other end.

"...Hey, Inu..." Kikyou sighed.

"Kikyou?! Wha?! I—we're not dating anymore—we're finished! So why are you—"

"I miss you, Inu..."

"Kik, you already _know why_ I broke up with you! And you know _very well_ that I still have feelings for you, but my heart is set on Kagome! How would you feel if you were dating some guy and then he left you for someone else?"

"Bad... Really bad."

"_Exactly my point._ If I _ever_ find Kagome again and you and I were still dating, she'd go ballistic on me and _kill_ me! So do you understand, Kik? I still love you, but like I said, Kagome's the one for me. Not you. I'm sorry..."

CLICK.

Kikyou sighed as she placed the phone back down in its cradle and disappeared into her thoughts. If it wasn't for that Kagome girl, Kikyou would have InuYasha _all _to herself... If _only_ she knew where Kagome was...then she could take care of Higurashi _personally._ Not that Kikyou was the type to just go out and hurt and/or kill someone just for a guy that they both have feelings for or whatnot. Kikyou _surely_ wasn't going to resort to violence. No. That'd just make it worse. Definitely worse... She just needed to find a way to get InuYasha to like her better and distract him from Kagome... Yes... That was definitely the plan... Now...how was she supposed to find Kagome...?

* * *

Sango let out a heavy sigh as she flopped down on her bed and, holding the TV remote up in the air, clicked the television set on. She flipped through the channels boringly.

"Boring...boring...so boring..." She muttered monotonously. Dissatisfied with what was on, she turned it off and rolled on her side, falling asleep.

* * *

R**—**RIIIIIIING.

R**—**RIIIIIIING.

Sango awoke and sat bolt upright as she looked around for the phone. She rummaged through her blankets and found the ringing phone and pressed the talk button.

"Hello?"

Then there was a dead dial tone and Sango angrily pressed the off button.

"Damn prank phone calls..." She muttered, clearly annoyed.

She flopped back on her bed only for barely a minute when the phone rang again. Sighing, she turned it on.

"WHAT?" She growled through the mouth-piece.

"Jeez, Sango, you okay?"

"Oh. Miroku... Sorry. I thought it was another prank phone call. I was—never mind. So...what did you want?" She apologized.

"Nothing... I, well—just wanted to see how you...were...and stuff..." Miroku said embarrassedly.

"Aw, that's so sweet." Sango chirped.

"But I was thinking, Kikyou is definitely going to take the break-up badly, so we really need to find a new guy or someone for her, otherwise, who _knows_ what she'll do to InuYasha."

"There was some new guy at school named Musou."

"He looks a lot like Naraku, Sango...and Kikyou _hates_ Naraku." He said shortly.

"But Musou and Naraku are two completely different people! You'll see. She'll forget all about InuYasha... Well, actually, I think she'd rather be a lone wolf. No one is gonna suit her except for InuYasha."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Oh, well. Thought I'd try and help a friend of yours out, but... I guess she's better off without another guy."

"...I guess so. Thanks, Miroku."

"Yeah... Well, gotta go. Haven't had anything to eat and I'm starving! Heh."

"Bye. I love you."

"I love you, too, Sango."

Sango set her phone back down on its cradle and clutched at her pillow. How hard was Kikyou going to take this? How would she be able to go to school tomorrow without seeing him? Sango sighed to herself. Kikyou would probably do something _drastic_. Sango shook off the thoughts and drifted off to sleep and had a peculiar dream about InuYasha and Kikyou fighting...and it was bad. _Real_ bad...


	8. The Argument

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**

...The Argument...

**Disclaimer: **sigh** About _how many times_ have I repeated it? **grumbles **I solemnly swear I do not own InuYasha and its characters or whatnot.**

When Sango awoke the next day for school, her stomach tightened with a sickening jolt. She had fallen asleep, luckily, as she had thought about what Kikyou would do when she saw InuYasha. Sango rolled over on her side and walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out a sailor uniform and quickly pulled it on. She hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Sango closed the door behind her and walked over to the bus stop, finding Miroku already sitting there. She slowed her pace and sat down next to him.

"Well, hey, Miroku. Didn't think I'd see you here."

"You didn't, now did you? Hmm, I wonder why? I only live up the street about a couple of blocks..." Miroku grinned childishly.

Sango laughed and playfully hit him across the shoulders.

"You and your sarcasm." She stated.

* * *

"I wonder what those two will do when they see each other..." Sango muttered as she stepped off the bus after Miroku. He only shrugged as they walked into the school vicinities.

"Dunno... They'd better not fight, I'd hate to see that happen..." he sighed.

The two parted as they went to their different lockers. As Sango gathered out her books, she walked over to Miroku's locker. His was fairly larger than hers, but he was a senior, so of course.

"I'm so glad that summer is in only a few days! And no more school!" Sango exclaimed excitedly as her eyes gazed up at the ceiling. "No homework, no teachers, no—"

The sound of a boy and girl arguing cut off Sango's ranting of summer and she couldn't help but look around for the noise. Sango's jaw dropped and she gasped as she saw that InuYasha and Kikyou were standing in a corner by the water fountain and were arguing loudly. Sango closed her eyes irritably and walked over there, trying to be casual.

"Um...guys...Kik...Kik...Kikyou...InuYasha...stop...stop fighting...GUYS! STOP—FIGHTING!"

Yet they continued to ignore Sango's fetal attempts. Sango growled and gritted her teeth, stepping in between the two and pushed them apart.

"SANGO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? LET ME AT 'EM! I'M GONNA GET YOU, INUYASHA..."

"Ooh, wow, I'm so scared, Mommy. Kikyou's gonna hurt me... Oh, boo-hoo." InuYasha mocked.

Sango threw a look at both of them and sighed deeply.

"If you two don't shut the hell up, I'm gonna do something...something...something, uh, drastic." Sango growled as she looked at the two who stared back at her with questioning looks. "Obviously, Kikyou, InuYasha doesn't want to go out with you, or anyone else. Can't you see what he's gone through?"

InuYasha scoffed, and tried to turn it into a cough, but it sounded rather awkward.

"Gone through a lot...Feh." he muttered under his breath.

"What was that? Didn't catch that last part..." Sango hissed to him through clenched teeth.

"Nuttin'." He replied solemnly. "Didn't say nuttin'..."

"Yeah right, Inu." Kikyou mumbled, throwing an annoyed look in his direction.

"I'm getting so damn annoyed with you two. You'd better stop now, okay? I mean it, your arguing affects everyone!" she sighed loudly. "I'll catch you two later, and you'd better make up, or else."

InuYasha let out a sigh and walked off down the hallway, leaving Kikyou by herself. Kikyou craned her head around and saw him walk into a classroom and she ran after Sango.

"Sango—SANGO! Wait up!" she panted.

Sango stopped and turned around.

"Yeah?" she asked as she was adjusting her hold on her books.

"Sorry about the fight..." Kikyou murmured.

"S'okay. It just kinda ticked me off, I knew this would happen. I'm sorry about your break-up with InuYasha, but continuing to argue with him isn't gonna solve anything."

"You're right... Well, see ya later..." Sango waved after Kikyou and walked into her Algrebra II class and closed the door behind her as she took her seat.

* * *

"Gosh, I _hate_ Algebra! That class sucks—can't believe I've got to take it..." Sango hissed as she met up with Kikyou and Ayame in the cafeteria.

"Well...look at the bright side. Summer is just in two more days!"

"True..." Sango admitted as she helped herself to some potatoes and gravy. "So...heard anything from Kouga?"

"Nah, not really. He's kinda stupid, if you ask me."

"Then why are you still going out with him...?" Kikyou asked.

"'Cause, I like him." Ayame said shortly.

They had only sat down when Naraku had come marching up to the table.

"Hey, Sango." he muttered softly. "Why are you still hanging out with Kikyou? Is she only around to replace Kagome?" Sango clenched her fists and was ready to hit him across the face, her hands kept twitching, but before she knew it, Naraku was on the ground and Kikyou stood viciously above him.

"Try and be a smart ass again, and I'll do worse to you..." she whispered coldly as she gently blew across her knuckles.

Naraku continued to stare up at her in bewilderment. How could he let a _girl_ like Kikyou hit him down to the ground...? How? This...this is _Naraku_, the _senior._ And yet, a junior girl can beat him? That's so sad...

Naraku stood up slowly, glared at the trio, and slunk back over to the far end of the cafeteria.

"Nice blow, Kik!" Ayame clapped. Kikyou grinned.

"He was asking for it, y'know..."

"You're just lucky no teachers saw..." Sango mentioned; Kikyou nodded.

"I hate that guy... I don't know why the teachers can't just kick him out of school." Ayame sighed sorrowfully.

"Well, he's graduating, so we won't see him anymore." Kikyou reminded the two.

"Well, that's a relief..."

Sango sighed and looked around the room. She started to nibble on the end of her French fries when she stared at what was in front of her. She dropped her French fry.

"K—K—K—K....Kagome...??" she choked.

Standing in front of her, plain as day, was the fifteen year-old Kagome Higurashi, still wearing that demonic outfit. Kagome was staring back at her, a smile lifting on her lips. Sango smiled and made a small wave.

"Uh, Sango, who are you waving at?" Ayame nudged Sango, whose eyes were transfixed in front of her.

"Kagome! It's Kagome—she's here! See?" Sango whirled Ayame around and pointed where the girl was standing.

"Uh...sorry, but I don't see anyone, Sango..." she muttered softly.

"Wha...What...? B—but...she was _there_ a minute ago...! Where could she be...?" Sango cried.

"You sure you're feeling okay, Sango?" Kikyou asked as she felt Sango for a fever.

Sango frowned and nodded her head.

"I'm fine! I—I _saw_ her! I _know _I did!" she assured as she kept looking around wildly.

"Sango, it's best if you just forget what you saw. You probably were thinking about her, and thought you saw her."

Sango turned and saw Miroku standing there.

"When did you come?" she asked, confused. "And how do you know what I was seeing?"

"I overheard you." He smiled.

When Ayame and Kikyou left, Miroku sat down beside Sango and bent down to her ear and whispered.

"Sango, I saw Kagome, too. And I'm sure InuYasha can. I don't know why only _we_ can see her, though..." he said thoughtfully.

She looked up at him and lowered her eyes.

"I just miss her so _much...!_ I don't know how much longer I can take it!" she sobbed into Miroku's shoulder.

"It's okay, Sango..." Miroku said softly as he brushed away her hair from her face. "We _will_ get her back somehow..."

Although when Miroku said that, he wasn't quite so sure of himself...


	9. Caressing her Feelings

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**

...Caressing her Feelings...

**Disclaimer: ****Blah, blah, blah. You know the drill.**

The next morning, Sango looked at the calendar and saw that it was Wednesday and rolled over on her side and accidentally fell off the bed. "Aaah!" she yelped as she was in mid-air, but was surprised to find that when she fell, she hit something warm and..._ALIVE?!_ "What the heck?" Sango jumped off the live object and stood up tall on her bed. She peered back down at the thing and realized that it was none other than...

"MIROKU—WHAT—ARE—YOU—DOING—IN—MY—BEDROOM?!" she shrieked.

Miroku, who was obviously asleep earlier, but then was awoken by Sango falling on top of him, which he enjoyed, by the way, jumped up when she screeched his name at him. Obviously, he'd better weasel his way out of this, otherwise, Sango will kill him if he didn't think of something fast.

"Oh, Sango dear, see, you _invited _me last night to have a last-week-of-school celebration and there were chaperones, and Naraku, err, tried to get you drunk, yes, I _know _that you don't like him, of _course _you wouldn't invite him, he invited himself, and, well...please don't look at me like that...so I, uh, tried to, err, stop him, which I, err, _did_, and you, um, didn't realize that, uhhhh...he knocked me unconscious and dragged me, err, uh, um...up here. Please Sango—don't—kill—me!"

Miroku bent on his knees and looked up at Sango pleadingly.

"...Miroku, why are you really here?" she sighed as she pulled him up to her on the bedside.

"...'CauseIgotlockedoutsidemyhouseandtherewasnowhereelsetogosoIthoughtIcouldcomehereandIguessI'mregrettingthatrightnowaren'tI...?" he muttered very quickly.

"Um, I didn't catch that..." Sango apologized.

"I got locked outside my house last night, and there was no way I could get in, I couldn't find my keys, too dark out. There was no where else to go, so I thought I could come here. I guess I didn't think about you getting mad about it, huh?" he murmured as he looked up into her eyes.

"Well, now that you told me that, I guess it's okay... Wait. That meant you had to break into my house! Miroku...Miroku?" Sango said.

Miroku had been sneaking away outside the bedroom and Sango chased after him. Miroku turned his head to the side and saw Sango trailing him and he set off even faster.

"Aah! I'm sorry, Sango! Aah! Please forgive me! Owowowowowowow!" For Miroku had tripped over himself and was "gracefully" sliding down the staircase.

Sango gasped, "MIROKU! OH, I'M SORRY...! I DIDN'T _MEAN_ TO...!" and ran down to follow him, hoping he wouldn't break his neck or any other body part, for that. She reached the bottom before him and stopped him from hitting the hard floor at the bottom. He sat down on the steps and tugged her down beside him, wrapping his arm around her protectively; Sango blushed and made a small squeaking sound.

"Thank you..." Miroku gasped.

"It's okay, I was chasing you and, well, you tripped." Sango smiled.

"Yes, well, you wouldn't have been chasing me if I hadn't, err, broken into your house last night..." he muttered slowly as he looked up at her with an apologetic face. Sango grinned at him.

"Well, I mean, you were locked outside your house, what could you do? I mean, if you would've just rang the doorbell, I would've _gladly_ have let you stay." She reassured him. "C'mon, you fix yourself something to eat while I go get dressed." She paused as she looked at him and added, "Don't get any funny ideas..." she winked at him and progressed her way to the top.

* * *

"C'mon, Miroku, we're gonna be late!" Sango gasped as she dragged Miroku out the door. "You can eat your banana on the way, now _hurry!_"

Miroku nodded and happily stuffed the banana in his mouth and grinned as he gulped it. Sango stared at him with a strange look on her face.

"What am I going to _do_ with you...?" she sighed, a smile appearing on her graceful lips.

"I dunno... Maybe another banana should do the trick..."

"_Forget _the _banana!_" she growled as they barely made it to the bus. She stepped on and Miroku followed her closely, and, not passing up a perfect opportunity, managed to cop a feel on his dear, dear Sango.

A girl screaming "HENTAI!" and then a hand colliding with a face could be heard throughout the neighborhood as several onlookers looked around curiously. They muttered to themselves as they continued on with their business, "Must be those darned kids again!"

* * *

"And then, he _caresses_ my bottom as I start to sit down on the bus seat! Can you _believe it?_ Sometimes I wonder why I even put up with him..." Sango exclaimed to her regular couple of friends.

"Hmm, I dunno, maybe because you loooooooooooooooove him and you want to huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuug him, and you want to hooooooooooooooooold him, and you want to kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiss him." Ayame smirked mischievously as they waited in their homeroom.

Sango growled low in her throat and flushed. Ayame and Kikyou giggled.

"It's true, San, _everyone_ can see how much you just love Miroku, honestly." Kikyou stated. "It's so _obvious_. And I'm _not_ trying to make fun of you, either."

"Right." Sango muttered as she rested her head in her hands. She glanced at the clock in the front of the room and groaned. Only a few minutes had passed and it seemed like it was fifteen minutes! ...It was going to be a _looong_ day. Sango just knew it.

* * *

"Hey, Sango." A voice tickled the hairs on the back of the girl's neck. She gasped as she whirled her head around and saw Miroku there, smiling innocently. She grinned at him and gave him a swift peck on the cheek as he embraced her.

"Sorry about the caressing thing today." He whispered.

"I told you already, Miroku, it's okay. I forgive you. Really." She told him.

"Really?" Miroku echoed.

"Yes." Sango answered.

"Thank you, Sango! Anyways, I have to get to class. _Some_ people here like InuYasha are just too impatient to wait for their friends!" he added as he shot a look at InuYasha, who was leaning against the nearest locker and was crossing his arms.

Miroku waved at Sango and followed InuYasha. Sango could hear them arguing about how stubborn and impatient the hanyou was. She rolled her eyes and closed her locker shut and walked off towards chemistry.

* * *

"Just—two—more—days!" Sango gasped. "Two—more—days! Then I _never_ have to step foot in this damn place _ever _again! Well, at least, until summer's over."

"Yes, _finally_. Then, ta da! No more Naraku!" Kikyou exclaimed cheerfully. Sango gasped then exclaimed as she hit the air triumphantly with her fist.

"But then I can't see Kouga till next year..." Ayame whimpered sadly.

"Why's that?" Sango and Kikyou echoed each other.

"He doesn't live nearby me."

"So? You two can just meet up somewhere nearby, it's simple enough." Kikyou said solemnly as she twirled around a pencil.

"Hey, yeah. I never thought about _that!_ Thanks, Kikyou!"

"Hey, I'm just here for people." She mumbled.

The bell rang and the girls left the classroom to head off towards Study Hall.

* * *

"Well, I dun have any homework. What about you guys?" Sango asked nonchalantly as she placed her feet up on an empty desk and curled a strand of hair around her index finger.

"Me neither..." the two others said and they scooted their desks over to Sango's so they could play "Clue". The majority of the class had board games out, and they'd be lucky to even get "Scrabble". Ayame walked over to the cabinet and leafed through the board games. She muttered to herself and pulled out the last "Clue" game. She waltzed over to Sango and Kikyou and placed the board on the desks as they set it up.

.

"I think...that it was...Colonel Mustard...in the library...with the revolver." Sango proclaimed as she looked through the three cards in the small yellowing envelope. She frowned and stuffed them back in their case. "One of you have a go at it..." she muttered slowly.

She had been right on two of the cards, except it had been the Kitchen card, not the Library.

"I deduce...that it was Colonel Mustard...with the revolver..." she glanced over at Sango who had propped her feet up again on a vacant desk and continued on. "...In the kitchen..."

She leafed through all three of the cards and held them out.

"Read 'em and weep, ladies." She grinned as Ayame stared dumbfounded.

"WOW!" Ayame gasped. "How'd you know?"

"A miko's old trick..." she muttered as she glanced, a small smile lifting, at the two; Sango scoffed.

R-RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING.

Sango, Ayame, and Kikyou burst out the door in front of everyone to hurry into the hallway, get into their lockers, and take out the books they needed, and hurry out to the bus and actually get good seats.

As they all boarded the large bus, they chose a large seat fit for three, and flopped down on it, clearly exhausted. Kikyou took to sorting through her bag and pulled out a book and started reading through it. Ayame stared at the window and saw in its reflection, Kouga. She gasped excitedly and leaned over the seat in front of her as Kouga came and fell abruptly atop it.

Sango sat in the middle of the three, cramped, and, sighing loudly, gathered her stuff and belongings, and took the seat behind them. Kikyou promptly scooted herself away from the edge comfortably. Sango glared at the two and crossed her arms and continued to glare out the window, when Miroku came beside her and sat himself down next to her. Her face lightened a bit and looked at him.

"Hey..." he said as he stroked her cheek. "Rough day?" Sango nodded subconsciously as she threw a glance back towards the school and found Naraku bullying some sophomore girls and boys. A shorter boy kept jumping up and down, trying to retrieve his bag from Naraku's clutch, when the older dark-haired boy purposely dropped it on top of the sophomore, who fell to the ground. She scowled and turned back to Miroku.

She realized that tomorrow was Thursday. Friday was the last day of school. Her heart stopped and her stomach did a few back flips. She had almost forgotten! As the bus left the school, her mind lightened up a bit as she relaxed to the thought of summer vacation, and being able to sit next to Miroku on the way home. Yes, the day wasn't _so_ bad after all...


	10. The Reappearance

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**

...The Reappearance...

**Disclaimer: ****Blah, blah, blah. You know the drill. **

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I couldn't login onto fanfiction.net 'cause they said the website server was down... Oh, well. It's up now. =) Yayz! **

Well, it was official. It was now summer vacation! No school, no teachers, especially no teachers giving loads of homework! Yes, it was now summer, and there would be _none_ of that. Sango awoke suddenly as her alarm clock went off and she sat up in bed, yawned and stretched widely. She sat there for a moment with her eyes closed and savored the no-school-for-the-rest-of-the-summer moment, until she swung her legs out from the bed and her feet touched the cold carpeted floor. Sango scooped Kilala up in her arms and walked down the staircase as she scratched behind the cat's ears; she was purring loudly.

As Sango walked down the steps, she went over to the living room and was about to flop on the couch, when she saw a wavy black-haired girl standing in front of the window. Sango screamed in surprise. Then she stopped herself and gazed at her friend and held out a shaking hand, hesitating to touch Kagome to see if she was real or not.

"K—Kagoh...meh? I—is that...really..._you?_" she asked in a small voice.

Kagome nodded slowly in response.

"H—how do I know it's just an..._illusion_...and the real Kagome is somewhere else?"

"...Because you're just going to have to trust me and yourself on this one..." Kagome said. It had been the first time she ever spoke since their first encounter.

"But...but I'm not _sure_ of myself! Everything's just falling apart!" Sango felt her knees buckle and she toppled to the floor and kneeled over, sobbing uncontrollably in her hands. "Kagome, oh Kagome, it was horrible being without you! You don't know how I _felt!_ Why did you have to leave? Why did you have to throw me against the wall? Why..._WHY, KAGOME_...WHY?!"

"I'm being controlled by a demon named Kojigoku, Sango, so I can't really control my actions. Right now, I'm free from his possession, I don't know why, but I am. So I'm using this time to be able to explain."

"Okay...so right now, even though you're, err, _possessed_, you can sometimes have your own mind, err, _back?_" Sango asked.

"Well, yeah, basically. And I'm sorry if I suddenly go berserk on you."

"I'm sorry, Kag, but this is a little..._strange_..."

"If I were in your place, yeah, I'd agree with you."

Sango nodded and stepped closer towards Kagome. Again, she held out a shaking hand to try and touch the girl in front of her. She felt the soft material of the black shirt Kagome was wearing and she raised her hand to touch her hair. Sango touched her own hair to make sure that she was real, too.

"San, I _am_ real." Kagome said quietly.

Sango nodded.

"Wait—right—there." Sango muttered as she reached around for the phone without taking her eyes of Kagome, in case she'd vanish again.

Sango dialed a number and held the receiver up to her ear and continued to stare at Kagome.

"Hello?"

"Yeah, Miroku, uh, it's me. Listen, I have something to tell you... Kagome is over here, it's really her! She's _real_, Miroku, _real!_"

"Sango, how...how can you be so sure?"

Sango was getting impatient.

"Because she _is_, Miroku! If you don't believe me, come over here and see for yourself."

"Okay, I—I believe you. I do."

"Good, then. Well, I'd better get off here then...talk to you later..."

"Bye."

Sango hung up the receiver and found Kagome lying on the couch, playing with Kilala. She sighed in relief; she thought she had lost Kagome again! Sango walked over to the couch and sat down next to Kagome. All of a sudden, Kagome's presence felt cold, and her eyes burned like fire. The younger girl glared at Sango and stood up, towering over her.

"K—Kagome...?" Sango whispered fearfully. "Please—control yourself, Kagome!"

But it was too late.

Kagome had already lost her sense to control herself. She smiled evilly and raised a clawed hand in the air, ready to swipe at Sango. Sango gaped at her, then realized what was going on, and jumped out of harm's reach. Kagome slashed at the cushion where Sango once sat. Sango collapsed to the floor and gazed up at Kagome, who was trying to get her hand out from the cushion. She stood up and half-ran, half-walked to the other side of the room, pondering what she should do to help her friend.

But Kagome had already gotten her hand out and stared widely at Sango. Sango stood there, unmoving, and whispered softly, "Kagome, it's me, Sango! Don't! Don't do this! You're not like this! I—I know you can't control yourself...but _try_ to! You _have_ to, Kagome! Kagome, don't...don't, Kagome...KAGOME!"

Kagome had slashed her claws out at Sango. Sango stared sub-consciously at the large gaping cut on her shoulder and collapsed to the carpeted floor. As she lay there, she stared up at Kagome, who was starting to walk away. The room started to spin. Sango uttered softly, "K—Kagome..." and she fell unconscious on the floor.

Kagome opened the door and slammed it shut behind her. She was gone...

**

* * *

**

Sango slowly opened her lidded eyes and gazed around at the surroundings. She then jolted awake and sat bolt upright. She had just remembered: Kagome had been here! But a small voice inside her head muttered, _"But was it just a dream, Sango...?" _Sango told herself, "No! It—it wasn't a dream! I saw her!"

She pulled back her pajama shirt to find a large, but uninfected cut on her shoulder.

Sango sat transfixed as she stared at it.

She _knew_ Kagome could've done worse...

...But Kagome chose not to...

...Did that mean that Kagome still had some of her sense in her?

Sango jumped slightly when she heard a knock at the door; she saw Miroku standing in front of it patiently. Sango stood up shakily and covered her wound with her flannel shirt. She slowly made her way to the door. A pale hand reached and turned the knob on the door and it swung open.

Miroku stood there grinning, and then asked, "So...where is she, Sango?"

"She...she left..." Sango replied softly, not meeting Miroku's wondering eyes.

"Sango...something's wrong. Wh—what happened?" he asked with a worried tone, his eyes trembled and he held her in his grasp; Sango winced in pain.

Miroku gazed down at Sango and he felt her for a wound. As he touched her shoulder, she winced, hissing quietly. Miroku stared sadly in her eyes and pulled back the collar of the shirt. His jaw dropped slightly as he saw five large cuts scratched alongside her shoulder blade. The blood had dried, and now it just left a scar.

"Sango, she—she _hurt you_..." he whispered as he pulled her closer to him, tears gathering in his eyes. "...She hurt you..." he repeated quietly.

"She was possessed, she couldn't control herself! She told me before when she came here and I called you up, a demon named Kojigoku is possessing her, so she can't control her actions."

"But if she was possessed, then how could she talk freely to you?" Miroku queried.

"Because Kojigoku wasn't controlling her at the time...I could tell. Kagome's eyes weren't burning; they were her normal green eyes. I knew it was her."

"Well, I guess..." he sighed. "C'mon, I'll clean those cuts for you."

**

* * *

**

"OW! It stings!" Sango screeched as Miroku wiped alcohol with a piece of cotton on her shoulder.

"There, that should do it." Miroku muttered as he put a cloth bandage over her wounds.

"Thanks..." she muttered softly.

"I'm sorry that she hurt you, Sango. I really am..." Miroku pulled Sango into a tight embrace; she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his chest. Sango didn't want this moment to pass by; it was just Miroku and her. The two felt as if time would go on forever, as long as they were in each other's arms. Nothing in the world could change that. Nothing...****


	11. The 2nd Appearance

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**

...Recovering; the Second Appearance...

**Disclaimer: ****Blah, blah, blah. You know the drill. **

**A/N: Okay, just in case for those of you who don't understand, Story Weaver1 asked me: **

_"...__we still don't know why Kojigoku possessed her in the first place." _

**I already answered his question through an e-mail, but anyone who's curious, here's my answer: **

_"__see, when they were doing that "light as a feather..." stuff at Kagome's house, her body wasn't really doing anything (Kagome's body), it was just there, waiting to be used for possessing. so Kojigoku takes an opportunity at whoever's body isn't being used at the moment, which is Kagome's, so, I dunno, Kojigoku is evil and wants Kagome's friends against her, which they're not. Hope that explains enough"_

_"...also, "light as a feather..." is just a levitation thing, and also a game of trust, because if you don't trust the people raising you, then you're stiff as a board, but if you _do_ trust them, you're light as a feather...and I know that nobody can get possessed in the game, I just did it to make things more interesting and exciting"_

**Okay, and this chapter is gonna have InuKag stuff in it, just so we don't forget them, and don't worry, some MirSan fluff in it too! =3 Anyways, enjoy the story! =P**

Sango had recovered almost fully after Kagome's unaccounted attack. She had told Miroku everything that happened and he listened intently, being the good Miroku he is. It was only about a week after the attack. Miroku had told InuYasha that Sango had seen Kagome and, unfortunately, was attacked by her. InuYasha didn't want to believe it, but he did. After all, she _was _possessed!

_(The story switches over to InuYasha for a while, just to see how things are over there...)_

InuYasha paced back and forth on his rug, wringing his hands as he walked circles in his room, deep in thought. Miroku had been told by Sango that she had seen Kagome, InuYasha's girlfriend. But, if Kagome had appeared to Sango, why hadn't she come to him yet? It also made him sick to know that she was being possessed and attacked his best friend's girl friend. He shook that thought out of his head and continued to pace back and forth.

"Maybe some fresh air will do me good..." he muttered to himself.

Now, InuYasha is not normally the type to do things like that. You all know very well that whenever situations are serious, or even mildly serious, the hanyou will go crazy and too possessive and handle the situation not very wisely. The scary thing is, he's being, well, _wise and reasonable_, to say... Must be a very bad illness that he has...

InuYasha walked over across the street and stepped into the cool green grass. Kids were zipping down slides and swinging on swing sets and pushing each other on the merry-go-round. The hanyou growled in annoyance. They were too loud and he needed to think. He pouted to himself, crossed his arms, and slumped against an oak tree and settled on the grass.

InuYasha then looked up and saw etched into the bark of the tree:

**_SaNgO x MiRoKu 4EvEr_**

And below it:

**_KaGoMe x InUyAsHa 4EvEr_**

The depressed hanyou sighed. He and the others, along with Kagome, came here together and Miroku etched the love signs on the bark. They had then all gone together to Kagome's house later on, saying that she had to watch Souta, so he, Miroku, and Sango, all agreed to watch him. Yes, but that had been two weeks before Kagome's incident...

InuYasha growled as he balled his fists and punched the tree, making a small pressed indent in the old tree. He stood up abruptly and stomped off to a quieter side of the park, where there were no remembrances of Kagome and him...

He sat down in the shelter area where there were picnic tables lined up under the roof and muttered to himself angrily. He fiddled with a pebble and flicked it off the table and it went flying, and...Ping! it bounced off one of the table legs and hit him in the head.

"OW, DAMMIT!" he said as he rubbed his temple gingerly and kicked the pebble away. InuYasha leaned against one of the walls and looked around as he saw happy couples walking hand-in-hand, and...unfortunately, for InuYasha...kissing...

That was the last straw. He yelled out in frustration and sprinted off down the sidewalk. A few of the couples stopped locking their lips together to see the hurt hanyou go down the walkway and disappear down a corner.

He hit everything in sight as he walked back to his home. He tripped over a wandering tom cat and it hissed at him. He scowled and continued on towards his house. As he reached the front door, he fumbled around for a tiny little bronze key, stuck it in the keyhole, and opened the door, slamming it shut behind him. He flopped down on a couch in the next room and pulled a pillow over his face.

"Damn Kagome...damn Kikyou...damn everyone..." he muttered irritably.

"InuYasha..." a feminine voice sing-sang.

"WHADDYA WANT? Oh, my God...Kagome! You're...you're here!" InuYasha gasped as he threw the pillow off his face and he stared into the green eyes of Kagome. She smiled softly and stroked his face. "Why are you wearing those clothes, Kag?"

Kagome didn't reply, just placed a kiss on his forehead and sat down beside him and stroked his leg; InuYasha shivered. Trying to seduce him, was she...? _Well, let her seduce you!_ A voice inside InuYasha's mind whispered. InuYasha nodded slowly then shook himself and gathered consciousness of what she was doing.

"Kagome...stop..." he moaned as the pleasurable sensation ran up his spine.

"...Why...? You were enjoying it, Inu..." Kagome whispered in his ear.

"Yeh—no. I—just don't do it, please, Kagome..."

Kagome laughed shortly.

"You said _'please'_...you never say please."

"Well, I am now."

"...Fine, I'll stop." She frowned as she put her hand back in her lap, where it respectively belonged. "So, you've been told about me, I guess?"

"Yeah, Miroku and Sango told me that they've seen you at school, when no one else could... but I want to know, why did you never show up to me?"

"...Because...you were dating that Kikyou girl..." Kagome growled as she looked away, clenching her fists. "I'm glad you broke up with her..." she added softly as he touched her face.

"Because I love you and I missed you so much, Kagome..." InuYasha whispered.

"I love you, too, InuYasha, remember that...and I want you to know, that I am very, very sorry if I suddenly go berserk and attack you. I can't control myself sometimes...and if I do, don't worry about me, just leave when I suddenly go...crazy..." she looked distracted as she stared into the fireplace. "I still have figments in my mind of...the scared look on Sango's face...I—I had..._attacked_ her...!" Kagome sobbed into InuYasha's shoulder.

"I know, I know that you did... Like you said, you couldn't control yourself..." InuYasha reassured her and pulled her into his arms and she leaned onto his shoulder.

_(The story switches back over to Sango and Miroku...)_

"Miroku?" Sango asked as she looked over at her boyfriend sitting on a spindly chair and he looked over into her eyes.

"Yeah, Sango? What is it?" he replied questioningly.

"Do you think Kagome went to go see InuYasha? Do you think she'd attack him, too?" she queried with a worried tone for his friend.

Miroku shook his head.

"Doubt she'd attack him, besides, if she _did_, he could take care of himself, he is, after all, part demon." He assured her as she nodded while looking out the window.

"Say, Sango...when was the last time you talked to Kikyou?" Miroku suddenly asked.

"Since...well...school ended. I met up with Ayame at the movies the other day, like last week or whatever, and Ayame said that Kikyou had gone out of town for a while..." Sango muttered slowly; Miroku could barely comprehend what she just said. Instead, he just nodded his head in approval. "I hope she's all right...she's not the type to just leave town like that...probably still upset with InuYasha and all..."

"Possibly..." Miroku answered thoughtfully. "Especially since he mentioned Kagome's name..."

"Miroku, what do you mean?" Sango walked up to Miroku and stared up at him.

"Well, for a while, in the beginning of high school, those two had always been rivals, and you hadn't noticed it and Kagome never mentioned anything about Kikyou. The two hated each other because they liked the same guys...and both liked InuYasha, too..."

"It seems sensible, it really does..." Sango added to his comment thoughtfully. "I never thought of it that way..."

Miroku grinned.

"Glad you think so."

"Oh, you!" she smiled as she elbowed him in the stomach.

_(The story switches back over to the other couple...)_

Kagome had cuddled up in InuYasha's arms and both gazed into the fireplace. None said a word, not wanting to spoil the moment they could finally have together after a long time... InuYasha shifted in his position and laid his head on a cushiony pillow. Meanwhile, Kagome was deep in her thoughts...

_'_Please_ don't attack him, don't...not now...we're actually enjoying a moment together...don't—attack—Inu...don't, I _can't_ attack him...I probably will end up doing so in the end, anyways...damn it, I hope not...'_

Kagome suddenly felt strange and stood up quickly. She had finally learned when she was getting ready to attack someone, and she had that feeling right now...

"I'm sorry, InuYasha, I have to go. If I stay, I'll end up attacking you..." she turned to go towards the door when she felt her wrists pulled behind her back. She tried to resist, but he was too strong for him. Suddenly, her eyes started to burn and she longed for the taste of blood...

"InuYasha..." she moaned.

InuYasha knew that she was being possessed right now; he could feel the bad aura coming off her. He held her wrists tighter together and Kagome winced in pain. The claws extracted from her fingers and she tried to scratch at InuYasha, who had been turning her around to face him and he held her tightly by the middle of the arm.

"Kagome..." he whispered as he looked into her eyes. "You have to stop this..." he trailed a finger to touch her hair and leaned in towards her face...

"InuYasha..." she quietly answered back.

BANG! And the door swung open. There stood Miroku and Sango. Sango gasped as she saw InuYasha holding Kagome roughly around the arms.

"Be careful, InuYa—"

"I've _got_ it, Sango! I don't need help!" he muttered angrily. They had come bursting in at the wrong moment. Although he would never admit it, he and Kagome always seemed to come in through special moments Sango and Miroku were having..._really special moments_... Kagome's eyes stopped burning and they turned back to green. She saw everyone standing there. What had happened? ...Had she attacked InuYasha, too...?


	12. Officer, she's not lying!

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**

****

****

..."Officer, she's not lying!"...

**Disclaimer: **groan** Why, oh why, must we fan fiction authors have to do this? I do not own InuYasha, etc, etc, etc...**

**A/N: Grrrrr...I am experiencing writer's block right now...grrrr...sorry if this chapter will be totally booooorrring. Oh, and sorry if Sess and Kagu are OOC... Oh, yeah, I love Miroku and Sesshoumaru! =3**

As Miroku opened the door, Sango quickly ran in and came up to Kagome, embracing her. She already knew that she was putting herself in danger in case her friend suddenly became possessed again, but Sango did not care. Kagome was breathing heavily.

"You okay, InuYasha?" Miroku asked as he watched Sango hugging her best friend.

"Feh, do I look like I'm hurt?" InuYasha scoffed. "I can take care of myself, you know."

Miroku rolled his eyes and strolled over to the sofa, flopping down on it.

"Whatever, InuYasha. Doesn't hurt to ask..."

"Feh."

Kagome glanced over at InuYasha and muttered a word; Sango couldn't hear what it was.

CRASH! InuYasha fell face-first into the wooden floor paneling.

Kagome grinned mischievously at him. She taunted him as she wagged a finger at his face.

"You do know I still have total control over you, right, InuYasha...?"

"You WHAT?! HOW?!" InuYasha burst in horror.

"That rosary necklace around your neck, remember? Oh, and don't even try pulling it off. Not even _you_ can."

InuYasha slumped down with his back on the wall and crossed his arms.

Sango nudged Kagome and asked her what she was muttering. When Kagome said it was "sit", InuYasha fell flat on the floor again and growled.

"Sorry!" Sango gasped as she looked at Kagome. "I didn't mean to make her tell me!" She blushed embarrassedly and sat down next to Miroku, while wrapping her arms around his neck. As the two were leaning against the other, InuYasha perked his ears up.

"InuYasha, what is it?" Miroku asked nonchalantly as he pulled Sango into a tight embrace.

"I don't know...no...it—it _can't_ be him...not here, not now..." the hanyou muttered as a surprised look appeared on his face. "Why is he here? At all times, why _now?_"

"InuYasha, who is it?" Sango was now asking as she walked over to the door, ready to open it.

"No! Don't open it!" InuYasha shouted.

"Don't yell at Sango like that!" Miroku growled.

Sango opened the door and was now staring at the two teenage boys arguing and rolling on the floor. She rolled her eyes and froze as she felt a figure tower over her. The girl slowly, slowly craned her head around... Sango gasped as she saw a tall teenager standing behind her; he had golden eyes, a blue crescent moon in the middle of his forehead, purple stripes going down the side of his cheeks, and he had long, flowing silvery hair...

"Brother! What are you doing here now?!" InuYasha yelled as his older brother Sesshoumaru merely pushed Sango aside, who collapsed into Miroku's open arms; Miroku was glaring at Sesshoumaru and was contemplating on tackling him from behind for pushing his Sango to the ground. Sango shook her head and muttered, "It's fine, just leave him alone...don't give him any trouble..."

"Keh, it's a free country, little brother, I can come whenever and wherever I please... Besides...what are you going to do about it...?" Sesshoumaru turned around and held out an arm as a tall girl with short black hair with a feather tucked in it, red eyes, and dangling bluish earrings. She linked her arms around his and smirked in the group's direction. "This...is Kagura, my fiancé. Kagura, this is my annoying little brother, InuYasha."

"Charmed." She mumbled as she looked at him. "He looks really childish though..." she added as she shot another smirk at him. InuYasha scoffed.

"Well of course he is—he's the runt of what's left of the family."

Sesshoumaru and Kagura laughed, which made InuYasha growl even louder.

"_That's _supposed to be a _growl??_ It sounds more like a puppy whining! Oh, Sesshoumaru, show him what a_ real_ growl is like." She sneered teasingly.

"With pleasure..." Sesshoumaru demonstrated his growl and InuYasha's fists twitched.

"You know what, Sesshoumaru? You're just a plain, old" —he muttered as he cracked his knuckles— "bastard!"

InuYasha flung his fist forward and hit his elder brother in the nose.

"By node! Yoo boke by node!!" Sesshoumaru clutched his nose and his knees buckled to the floor.

"Yeah, well, _normal_ people don't just go walking in other people's houses and start trashing them. So you can go now. Buh-bye. Um, you can _leave_, you know." InuYasha said loudly.

"Yeah, well, that's what we're doing," Kagura hissed through clenched teeth as she helped Sesshoumaru up by the shoulders, who was still holding his nose tenderly. "Thanks a lot, you jerk. C'mon, Sesshy, let's leave..."

InuYasha stifled a laugh as he heard his brother whimper "okay" for the very first time. As soon as the door slammed shut behind the couple, InuYasha fell to the ground, rolling around and clutching his sides as he laughed hysterically.

"Did you—did you _hear_ him? He was—was whimpering! Hee, hee—ha! Oh, Kami-sama...ohh, I don't think I've laughed that much in a _year_."

He stood up and wiped a tear then looked around and saw everyone staring at him.

"What? It was funny! Why aren't you LAUGHING?"

Miroku frowned.

"Even _if_ he is a jerk, he's still your brother. I know he shouldn't have come in and started making fun of everything about you, but you still don't hit your own brother."

"Even if he's your half-brother." Sango added as she rested her head on Miroku's shoulder; he stroked her hair. "C'mon, Kagome."

Kagome turned on her heel and followed Sango out the door.

"Fine! Just—just leave me here! Okay. Um, yeah. Well, this sure is fun..."

Miroku closed the door behind him and left InuYasha to sit on his couch and think, yet again.

* * *

"Miroku..." Sango asked as Kagome left them to wander the streets. "Why is it that InuYasha and Sesshoumaru hate each other so much? Is it because Sesshoumaru is a full demon and can tease InuYasha for being a hanyou and his half-brother?"

"Well, looks like you just got your answer, Sango." Miroku sighed and held Sango around the waist.

Sango had just closed her eyes and they were rounding the street corner when a woman's scream filled the air. Sango's eyes snapped open again and she accidentally pinched Miroku's arm.

"What if Kagome..."

"C'mon, Sango!" Miroku grabbed Sango's hand and they ran to find the woman.

Sango stopped horrified as she clearly saw Kagome towering over a woman—covered in blood—laying limply on the sidewalk. She then saw that Kagome had obviously knocked Sesshoumaru unconscious, because his head was tilted limply to the side, resting on his shoulder. His nose was still bloody.

"KAGOME!" Sango screamed as Kagome lowered herself next to Kagura.

Kagome looked up and the color in her face drained. Her eyes turned green again, and she sat, horrified, to see Kagura almost dead beside her. Kagome jumped up in fear.

"Did I...really..." she whispered. Her hands flew to her face and tears spilled from them. "I hate doing this! I hate hurting people!"

With that, Kagome turned around and ran past them, too fast for Sango and Miroku to catch up, even if they tried.

"Kagome..." Sango cried. "I don't want to lose her again, Miroku! I can't! I won't...lose her..." she sobbed into his chest and gripped at his shirt.

"It's okay, Sango, you don't have to lose her again."

"You promise?" she sniveled.

"Yes."

"Oh, thank you, Miroku. You've always been there for me." She paused with a smile. "I love you so much."

"I know you do." He grinned and tilted her chin upwards so he could look into her teary eyes and he met her lips with his and wrapped his arms around her waist, as if the tighter he held her, he could never lose her. Sango linked her arms around his neck and their lips were pressed together, closing the small gap in between them. Finally losing air, she parted from him and a lone tear dropped from her hazelnut eyes.

"I love you too, Sango." Miroku whispered breathlessly.

Sango smiled as she trailed a finger down his cheek, and then froze with a horrified look on her face.

"What? What is it, Sango? I thought you..." his voice trailed away as a police officer came ambling up to them with a limp. He pulled his cap up further on his head and stared fixedly at the two in front of him. He jabbed his thumb in the direction of Sesshoumaru, now coming to and was rubbing his head, and Kagura moaning slightly; the officer then glared at Sango and Miroku.

"Explain yourselves."

"Officer, it's not what you think. We were just coming along and someone jumped them. We wouldn't do anything like that!" Sango cried. Of course, the "someone" referred to Kagome. Of course, Sango would never tell on her best friend and besides, what good would it do to arrest a girl who goes on sudden rampages in the cause of her being possessed by an evil demon? Not any good.

"I don't have any proof. I'm gonna have to take you two downtown..."

"DOWNTOWN? Officer, she's not lying! Honestly! We were walking along and someone just jumped them and attacked them. We don't have any weapons on us, either! How could we hurt them?"

"Shut up, boy. I said that I'm taking you downtown! Get in the car."

He then stopped as Sesshoumaru moaned.

"No, it..._wasn't_ them...they were telling the truth. A girl came by and knocked me out and she started attacking my fiancé..."

The officer cocked a brow suspiciously and then stared at the silver-haired boy.

"Did you see who she was?"

Sango held her breath. Would he tell on Kagome? Or did he know that she couldn't control herself? Even then, would he still give Kagome out to the authorities...?

"No, officer, she, uh, was wearing a mask and...dark clothes. She might've had a knife on her, though, seeing how injured Kagura is..." Sesshoumaru heaved himself up with trouble and stumbled over to Kagura, and let her rest her head on his lap.

The authority looked suspiciously at Sesshoumaru again then walked over to his car and stepped in.

"You two were lucky this time this here fellow helped you two out. Next time, you ain't gonna be too lucky, that's for sure..."

The police car sped off and left the two couples there.

"That jerk! He didn't even offer to call 911 to get Kagura to a hospital! Wait, I thought InuYasha broke your nose?" Sango growled as she and Miroku helped Sesshoumaru lift Kagura up.

"No, it was just knocked out of place. I fixed it, so it's fine now. Are you okay, Kagura, um, dear?"

"Sesshoumaru, is that...you...?" the black-haired girl moaned.

Miroku's hand shot into his pocket and he pulled out a black mobile phone and dialed the hospital. After he explained what happened, he closed it with a tiny snap and stuffed it back in his pocket.

"An ambulance should be here soon. I told them where we were."

"Thanks," Sesshoumaru said without looking at him. He was too intent on making sure Kagura was okay.

"Um, I'm happy and all, but, why didn't you rat out Kagome and help us out?" Sango asked in a small voice. Sesshoumaru glanced down at her.

"I'm not always a bastard, as InuYasha called me. People like me have hearts, too." Sango smiled.

"Well, thanks for helping us out back there."

"What's up with Kagome or something? She possessed?" Sango's eyes trailed down to his legs and nodded. "I thought so. I could smell it on her. No wonder she could knock me out..."

Sirens blared and red lights flashed as an ambulance pulled into the street. Two men came out with a stretcher and took Kagura from Sesshoumaru's arms and he followed them inside the vehicle, taking Kagura's hand as he sat down beside her.

All of a sudden, InuYasha could be seen running down the street as the ambulance left. Miroku turned to look at his friend.

"I heard...an ambulance...so...what happened?" InuYasha huffed.

Miroku explained what happened and InuYasha sat with a grim face.

"So...where's Kagome?" he finally asked.

Sango's face fell. Where _was_ Kagome...?


	13. Trouble in Her Way

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**

...Trouble in Her Way...

**Disclaimer: **groan** I don't own anything InuYasha-wise.**

**A/N: Everyone's probably thinking, **_"Whoa! How could Kagome knock out Sesshoumaru and Kagura?!"_ **Easy. Sneak up on them when they least expect it. That's one way, I suppose... Some were surprised that Kagome knocked out Sesshoumaru, some impressed. But anyways, just thought I'd get that across. And I will and/or try and get Kagura back in the story! Yes, I know, I think it's really just Sesshoumaru and Kagura that I'm always getting OOC...so please try and live with it. Whoa. Too long of a note! Anyways, enjoy the story! **

"Kagome! Oh, my gosh! Kagome! Where could she be? Oh, how could I let her out of my sight? HOW?" Sango chided herself as she clenched her fists. She, Miroku, and InuYasha were still in the alley way. It had only been a few minutes ago since Kagome had come sneaking behind Sesshoumaru and Kagura, of course in her possessed state, knocked poor Sesshoumaru out on the head when he least expected it, and attacked his fiancé, Kagura, with her own clawed hands. Those piercing talons... The ambulance had just come by and left again with the two. Now the trio still sat here, and the pressing matter was, _where had Kagome gone to?_

"Sango, it's okay, don't worry about it, we'll find her for sure. So just relax a little." Miroku tried to calm Sango down by holding her shoulders and making her take deep, even breaths.

"Relax? How can I _relax?_ My best friend has disappeared again, who knows where, and you're telling me to relax? I don't _want_ to relax!"

"Sango, just listen to Miroku; it'll make him feel better, all right?" InuYasha interjected quickly, giving Sango an assuring look, before slumping back again against the wooden fence, deep in thought where his girl had gone off to.

"You two are right, I guess...I just can't help but wonder if she's safe or not..." Sango admitted softly, and buried her face in Miroku's hair. The scent of it always soothed her, for some reason, whatever it was, she never knew, but she just adored it. All her problems seemed to have just melted away...nothing really mattered now...wait...Kagome really mattered now! Sango jumped back up and tightened her grip. "I can't stand around any longer, I'm going to find my friend. Anyone want me, just call my cell. See ya."

Before the boys could do anything else, Sango ran off down the street in the direction she thought Kagome could've gone down. It seemed promising, being dark. Although she wouldn't admit it, the dark street she was going down seemed rather eerie and Sango felt she should not be down this way right now, especially in the evening, without anyone, like Miroku for example...

Shaking the bad thoughts from her head, Sango continued quickly down the street. The lamp posts had long burned out and the only light she could see were the small, glinting eyes of cats lurking in the shadows. Sango jumped once or twice when she thought she heard something follow her. It would do her no good to try and look behind her. It was now pitch dark...

Sango quickly lifted a leg as a rat came jolting by and she felt its long, hairy pink tail slither across her foot. She froze for a minute, waiting for the rodent to go away. When she was sure it was, she slowly continued to amble through the street, softly calling, "Kagome...Kagome, where are you? Kagome..." But every time, she received no response and she decided to lean against a rusting black iron lamp post. Surely it was close to eleven now. The time had gone by so quickly, she hadn't realized it. She batted her lashes and her heavy lids begged for sleep. She closed them for a while, but then realizing she couldn't just stop now, opened them and continued her search.

It was only after a while when Sango could see no longer, and all was quiet, that she heard soft chuckles and mumbling. The young woman tried to ignore it and find her way back home, but soon enough, she felt another presence or so... She whirled her head around and saw nothing but blackness. Another chuckle was heard closer, this time right next to her ear. She felt warm perspiration tickling the hairs on her ear and she stepped away abruptly. Sango felt something brush against her and she let out a small whimper, too quiet for humans to hear, except for herself.

"Afraid, are yeh? Yeh're all by yer lonesome, huh? Shame, really. Looks like she'll be easy for us, wouldn't yeh say, boys?" a voice sounded. Other voices of agreement sounded nearby, with a wrong sort of pleasure. "Run, if yeh want to, but it won't do yeh any good..."

Sango felt a lump form in her throat and she tried to speak, but couldn't utter any noise. Her legs locked and her arms stiffened at her sides. She couldn't move at all! She glared at the darkness surrounding her. The young woman could sense their presence was approaching closer...but what to do when you can't see your enemies?! As her hand slid down her jeans leg, she felt a lump in her pocket. Her cell phone! But what if when it went off, they would attack her? And these people obviously can see in the dark.

"GET OFF ME, YOU CREEP!" Sango yelled as she felt a cold, hard, clammy hand clasp her shoulder. With ease, she flipped the man over her shoulder and he fell to the ground with a very hard thud. He groaned and felt his neck and his eyes widened as he muttered, "She almost broke my neck..." That turned on the three other men. Two of them came up upon Sango and she did the same with them as she did the first man.

Three men lay unconscious on the asphalt and the leader of the group was now left to handle Sango. He swiftly approached Sango and she stared hard into the darkness all around her. She could've sworn she saw a flicker of dim light just in front of her...a lamp post was lighting up! Sango now had the chance to just barely distinguish her fighter's appearance. He had a pale, gaunt face with two beady little eyes perched beside the bridge of his nose, hiding underneath two bushy eye brows. He looked not young, yet not old either. She saw his jaw bone twitching.

"_Knew_ those men were a whole bunch a wimps...well, knocked them all out, did yeh? Sorry, girl, but I'm not what yeh think..." he grinned boldly.

"Keh, bring it on old man. I can take any man, any day. You're no different." Sango sneered and kicked at him just as he outstretched his arms towards her way. He grunted and nearly buckled over as he held his upper abdomen. He slowly got back up again, only to be kicked in the face and he fell backwards a few yards. "I'm warning you, I took karate and now I'm a black belt." She paused and added with a good note, "I could kill you if I wanted...but it's not my thing. I'm not that type. Always hate to a see a good soul die...but I know you're no saint." Sango suddenly shuddered as an image of Kagome in her mind. Kagome hurting others, with no choice of her own to try and protect them from herself. It was like she was a _puppet_...

Sango scoffed and as she looked down, almost felt sorry for the man.

"Are yeh now? Heh. Won't do much good when I sort it out to the machinery." He mumbled lowly. Sango froze in her spot.

"Don't you _dare_ try anything like that!"

She could run if she wanted, but he could shoot her from behind. No. That wouldn't do her _any_ good; she's not one to run. Her thoughts rushed to her cell phone again. Miroku was probably worried sick...would he come looking for her down this dark street? Most likely yes. Although part of Sango wished he wouldn't, in fear that he'd get hurt as well. Her possibilities were shortening, now that she knew this man was armed.

A click sounded the young woman's ears.

Sango dove to the ground immediately and thanked herself. Any second standing there longer, she could be dead for all she knew. She rolled to the side into the shadows and they licked her up. She saw the gaunt man limping around, wondering she went to. She edged back against the fence behind her, when an alley cat's loud hiss and a yowl told of her presence.

She stood up and began to run through the shadows.

She knew she would regret it...

But it was her only choice...

She whirled her head around to look behind her. The man was looking straight into her eyes. She whirled her head forward again. Don't look scared...she told herself. _'It will only make him a bigger opponent...'_ she thought with a cold note. The sound of a car approaching suddenly aroused Sango from her surroundings. Could it be...?

"MIROKU!" Sango exclaimed and she ran to the open car door and jumped inside as she slammed it shut. "Sorry to be a backseat driver, but _step on it!_" Miroku grinned and nodded, mumbling softly what sounded like, "...so this is what it's like to be the getaway driver..."

As Miroku sped off back in the opposite direction, Sango crawled to the passenger seat and looked into the rear view mirror. She saw the man running after the car in vain. Sango couldn't help but laugh at his fruitless attempt. BANG! A gun shot. The loud noise caused Miroku to jump in his seat and the car swerved out of control. As doing so, Miroku quickly aligned himself and stomped on the gas pedal, car tires screeching and leaving marks on the street and the black vehicle sped off down the alley way. There was now a bullet hole going through the back bumper on the car. Other than that, everything looked in order.

"So...where are we going?" Sango asked shakily, not catching Miroku's worried gaze.

"Sango, that man could've _killed_ you! If he did, I don't _know_ what I would've done! You know I can't live without you! You're my life, Sango...you're as important to me as the very blood running through my veins.

"I'm not one to complain, but how could you be so ignorant and think of even going down that street by yourself?? Yeah, I know you were looking for Kagome. But right now, just try and forget about her and listen to me!

"You almost died back there. I heard that gun shot. You were lucky, just remember that. Even a black belt couldn't do much against a gun. Oh, Sango, I'm just glad you're safe!" Without warning, Miroku took his hands off the wheel and wrapped them around Sango's back and her face pressed into his chest. She could hear his heart beating. Thump, thump. Thump, thump. He loosened his grip on her to regain the control of the car. "You know I love you, Sango, that's why I couldn't let myself live with the fact of knowing you could be dead. Wouldn't be fair..."

Sango stared hard at the floor at her feet. She knew he was right...

Bored of the topic, she asked Miroku her question again.

"Miroku, where are we going?" she asked, noticing the quiver in her own voice. Was she really that shaken up?

"Kagura just got out of the hospital. Figured if we want to be on Sesshoumaru's good side, we'd come and visit." He added dryly.

"Oh, goody..." Sango muttered sourly to herself. All she wanted to do right now was go home and sleep for the rest of the night. "But...aren't visiting hours over? It's almost _midnight_, Miroku!" It was true. The clock in the car clearly said 12:00 PM. Miroku cocked his head at her and gave a lopsided smile.

"I know, but the nurse said she'd do this only _once_."

"Oh, goody..." Sango repeated quietly in her head.

* * *

Miroku opened the metal doors open to the hospital and Sango strolled wistfully inside. This place was just as eerie as it had been when she was dueling that man, hand-to-gun. What a backstabber... Sango never liked hospitals that much. As far as she knew, not all of the time, dying lives would come in, and stay in. She always tried to stay away from here. She knew several people that had to come here and never left...it had been a sad time, she was only a child...Mother...and Father...and dear, dear Kohaku...Mother had been giving birth to Kohaku, and died during labor, along with her poor baby brother. Father had been shot by a man with a pale, gaunt face and never left to come home from this place. Wait a minute...a man with a _pale, gaunt face_... The man who attacked Sango! The man who attacked Sango killed her father!

The whole time Miroku and Sango sat in Kagura's room with Sesshoumaru sitting beside her, Sango cursed to herself for not finishing off that man. Even as they left and Miroku said goodbye, Sango continued to ignore everyone else and her thoughts laid on that one, single man...that killer...even as a child, Sango had been in the car, waiting for Father, and she _saw_ that man. Fearfully watched him shoot Father...she had been in a fit of tears. It was lucky that a police woman had been nearby. The man had been wanted, but so far, no one had caught him. Father, Mother, in labor and on the way to the hospital, and little Sango were driven in the police woman's patrol car to the hospital. Sango had left that place by her little lonesome to live alone...

"I'll kill that man...and avenge my father!" Sango growled, holding her promise close to her heart.


	14. Getting Revenge

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**

...Getting Revenge...

**Disclaimer: **sigh** I don't own anything InuYasha-wise.**

**A/N: Just wanted to remind everyone, this story won't be updated regularly as it normally was BEFORE I got that stupid virus. **grumbles** I'll try and continue the story the best I can, though. Oh, yeah, I just saw '_I, Robot' _and it was so awesome! Anyways, enjoy the chapter. **

Miroku closed the car door behind Sango and he walked around the front of the car and stepped inside, closing the door behind himself.

"Sango, are you feeling all right? You look a little pale. And you were really quiet when we were at the hospital..." Miroku queried. He knew that Sango didn't like hospitals, but he could never find out the real reason _why_. _Why _did_ Sango dislike hospitals so much?_ was the question.

"I don't know. I'm still a little shaken up with that man and whatnot..." Sango sighed as she paused and looked over at the side of Miroku's face. She gathered the courage to continue speaking and tell him what she found out. "Miroku...that...that man back there, the one who jumped me—sort of—well...he was the one that killed..." Sango gulped and tears gathered in her eyes. "Father..." Miroku's face stiffened and the color drained from it quickly. He jumped slightly when Sango punched at the dashboard in front of her.

"How...how could you tell? It was so dark!"

"When your headlights shined on us, I could barely see his face, but I could tell he had a pale, gaunt face. When I was a little girl, I saw the same man shooting Father... I was sitting in the car, and Mother was pregnant with Kohaku..." she sniveled. "I'm surprised I still remember..."

"Sango...I—I'm so sorry... I didn't know..." Sango extended her hand and entwined it around Miroku's arm and buried her face into his sleeve.

"It's all right, Miroku, there was nothing to prevent it..."

Neither Miroku nor Sango spoke for the rest of the way. Miroku drove by Sango's house quickly so she could feed Kilala, and they drove back to his house. Miroku locked the door behind them and Sango tossed off her jacket, heading straight for the living room. As soon as Sango left, Miroku walked into the kitchen, starving to death. He warmed two bowls of ramen noodles and was about to carry them to the living room, when he rounded the corner...

Kagome disappeared from Sango's side and the chestnut-haired girl lay faint on the carpeted floor.

Miroku had completely forgotten about Kagome. He dropped the ramen containers on the table beside him and he jumped to Sango's side. He tapped Sango's face to awaken her, but she wouldn't budge. Miroku could feel her pulse and was immensely relieved. He splashed cold water on her face as he brought her to the kitchen, and she awoke spluttering and coughing up swallowed water.

"Mi—Miroku, what just happened? That's right...I saw Kagome! She was about to tell me something..." Sango sat there, trying to remember. "...but when she touched me, I—I...fainted."

"Sango, don't worry about it. It's not like it was any different from any other time she came to us." Miroku tried to assure her, but Sango ignored his attempt. Her stomach suddenly growled and Miroku brought her ramen to her, a grin sliding onto his face. She smiled thankfully and ate the noodles hungrily, as if she hadn't tasted food for more than a week. Sango felt famished but as soon as she finished eating, she felt replenished and well-relaxed.

The couple walked over to the living room and flopped down on the couch. It was now 3:05 AM and Sango felt like crashing on the sofa and falling asleep right on the spot. In fact, that's exactly what she did. Miroku, luckily for him, fell asleep on top of her, and neither moved nor awoke until it was well-past noon.

Sango stirred slightly and she batted her lashes. Her vision was hazy for a moment, but it cleared soon enough. She felt a lump on top of her and she craned her head around to see a snoozing Miroku. Her eyes felt warm and heavy and she closed them, not awaking again until a half-hour later. By that time, Miroku was already awake and was upstairs in the shower. Sango rolled over on her side, thankful for the extra weight off her back.

The young woman stood up and nearly toppled to the floor. She had been sleeping in an awkward position and she felt as if her back and her legs wouldn't be enough to support her weight.

_'Maybe I could just lay here for the rest of the day...that would be nice...'_ she thought to herself. Then a mental image of her attacker popped into place and she balled her fists, growling. She would find that man and avenge her father! Sango stood up and limped over to the downstairs bathroom and closed the door behind her. A nice, soothing bath would do the girl some good...

* * *

Sango sighed in relaxation as she dried out her hair and pulled on a tee-shirt and shorts. She opened the door and smelled the wonderful scent of fried eggs and sizzling bacon. Hypnotized by the tempting smell, it led a famished Sango into the kitchen. Miroku wasn't in there; he must've left the room to get something else... The bacon was lying on a plate on the kitchen counter, and it was calling the girl's name. Sango inhaled the scent and walked over to it. No, it wouldn't be right to eat while Miroku is out of the room... Sango told herself.

_'Just a little bite...' _a tiny voice in Sango's head echoed. "Well, one bite would do no harm, I suppose..." With that satisfaction, the young woman reached over and nibbled on the bacon. Oh, Lord, it tasted so good! Sango gulped the whole thing down and licked her lips. Approaching footsteps sounded her ears and she edged away from the bacon.

"So, I see you're up, Sango." He then looked at her face and saw the glazed look in her eyes as she stared at the prepared breakfast. Miroku smirked at her. "Go on ahead,"

"Thank you! I love you!" Sango immediately grabbed for the bacon, but accidentally held Miroku's hand, for he was reaching out for the same piece. "Oh, no, you go ahead and take it, Miroku."

"No, you take it."

"You take it." Sango insisted.

"Okay!" Miroku grinned at her.

After their late, late breakfast, Miroku walked Sango over to her house. It was a hot, humid day, and Sango was thankful for her shorts, although she didn't allow Miroku to walk behind her... He attempted a feel, but received a sharp smack instead. Sango smirked at the young man and he tenderly felt his cheek. Miroku grinned at her sheepishly.

Sango led Miroku up the walkway and fumbled around with the key until it finally unlocked the door. She pushed it open and Kilala came bursting out, causing Sango and the small cat to collapse to the floor. The small feline licked her mistress's face lovingly and Sango scooped her up in her arms and walked over to the empty food bowl.

Kilala purred soundly as the sound of cat food crunching in between her teeth could be heard. Sango couldn't help but laugh at her cat's ways. The girl then walked over to the window and looked out at the streets. She would have to find that man and make him pay his price. She wouldn't just stand around with the knowledge that the man who killed her father and almost killed her was running around freely. Sango finally decided. She would leave the house. Tonight. And she would go alone, or, at least, make it _seem_ as if she was alone...

* * *

"InuYasha, _please!_ Just do this for me! I _never_ ask you for favors! So will you do this for me? Just this once?" A pleading Sango begged the hanyou as she stared him in the eye. "Why won't you?? You're never one to turn up an opportunity such as this! So what makes you do that now? I've told you already, he's the one that killed my..." she broke off and turned her head sharply to the side as she unwillingly relived the horrible memory. A tear longed to break loose and roll down her softly curved cheek. Sango's eyes now watered threateningly. InuYasha scowled and crossed his arms.

"Fine, Sango, I'll help you out. But just this once, okay? ...You can stop crying now!" the stubborn hanyou sighed.

"I'm—not—crying..." Sango sniveled. "I just got something in my eye...that's all."

So it was settled. At eleven o' clock sharp, InuYasha and Sango would come down that dark street and face that man. If he gave any trouble to Sango, InuYasha could just jump in and help her out. Miroku had gone home a long time ago, and the grandfather clock in the hallway now read a quarter to eleven. Sango itched to just get out and to get this thing over with. She was not one wanting to have to wait.

Finally, five to eleven, Sango opened the door and closed it behind her as she walked down her sidewalk. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a snowy-white haired teenage boy come strolling over to her. The young woman couldn't help but smile. She wanted to say thank you, but it seemed she couldn't get any sound to come from her throat... It was cold out now, pitch black, and the only lights were from the lamp posts lining the streets. As the two walked over to the dark street, they found that there were many lamp posts, and all but one burned out. It was then at that moment Sango's mind wandered back to yesterday. She began to think about how this murderer's men could be able to see in the dark, but not her. Were they not from this world? Demons, maybe like InuYasha, only he was _half_-demon... Sango would never know. All of a sudden, she felt InuYasha's hand move out to the side and it stopped her.

"What...?" she asked questioningly and she followed his lost gaze. Down in the distance, she saw a scrawny man lurking in the shadows. She was lucky for that one lamp post that shone, although it was quite dim. InuYasha then moved his arm back to his side and he led her down the alley. "Wait, InuYasha, I don't want him to think you're with me. The attack of surprise. So, don't worry, you can help, too, but just wait a moment. And, I wanted to say, _thanks_...for helping me out." She whispered as she left his side and stepped into the light. "Hey! You!"

The tall man with the pale, gaunt face turned to look at her, and a smile came flickering onto his face.

"Yeh came back for more, did yeh?" he grinned mischievously.

"You killed my father! Sixteen years ago, my father was murdered, and you were the one that caused his death! I will not let you go, not with that knowledge. Never..."

Back behind Sango, InuYasha hid in the shadows, waiting for the opportune moment. His ears perked up and he looked behind him. Sure enough, lurking in the darkness around him, three pairs of eyes turned to peer at him. InuYasha grinned and before the trio of half-demons could attack the well-prepared hanyou, he had slashed at them with his claws and they could not yell out a scream. Luckily for InuYasha, and Sango, the leader of the group had not noticed his fallen comrades. His eyes lay transfixed on Sango's for a long time. InuYasha itched for more action, but he would have to wait.

"_You killed my father!_" Sango cried as she leapt at him and punched him in the chest.__

"Yeh can't keep a grudge on a person for the rest of yer life, yeh know!" the man choked, lost of breath. For a middle-aged man, he was _not_ in the prime of his life, no, he tired _too _easily. _Or_...did he do that _only_ to catch Sango off-guard...?

"Tell me. What's your name? I want to know the name of my opponent, before he's lost to the Underworld!"

"Bunjiro." The man replied. "Although, you will not beat me. No one has, and they never will..."

"Keh, you wish." The man leapt at Sango and she easily dodged, spinning around and kicking him in the back of the legs; he collapsed and hit the hard asphalt. He wiped a hand over his mouth and jumped up again. InuYasha sighed, bored, and stared at the fight _HE_ could be in right now, but noooooo. He just had to sit in the sidelines! He crossed his arms and leaned against the fence.

InuYasha's head snapped up as he heard Sango screaming out in pain and saw that the man had her in a headlock. Immediately, InuYasha pounced in and grabbed the man around the hips and threw him through the air. Sango fell to the ground, lost of air, and she looked up gratefully for InuYasha's rescuing her. She moved her lips, saying thank you, and InuYasha grinned and nodded as he made a final slash at the demon _(He's a demon that looks like a man. Man. Demon. Same thing. Sorry, I never said it before, but this dude IS a demon...that looks like a man.)_ before standing still over his kill. He stuck out his foot and nudged the still body, and, satisfied, walked over to Sango and she collapsed onto him. The hanyou, proud of his skills, hoisted the tired girl up, and ran down the street until they could be seen no longer in the darkness, until they finally came to Sango's house.

Sango slumped inside her house after she said goodbye to her hanyou friend, and slunk up the staircase. The exhausted young woman didn't bother to even change and she fell on her bed, almost instantly asleep. Before sleep overcame her, her lips moved and the five words escaped: "Father, I have avenged you..." Sango slept peacefully that night.


	15. An Opening to the Underworld

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**

...An Opening to the Underworld...

**Disclaimer: **sigh** I don't own anything InuYasha-wise.**

**A/N: (I have writer's block!!!!) Okay, I'm now in a soccer team and I'm playing for my school, so also that kind of keeps me from writing my story. I'll try and keep it up—most likely—and continue for you guys! I really appreciate everyone that's reviewed this story, too! I love you people!! ****♥**

**_—Oh, just wondering, does this story seem more like a supernatural thing, or a horror fic?—_**

**-**

_I have avenged you, Father..._

_-_

Those words continued to ring in Sango's ears. Only last night, she—and InuYasha—had finally gotten rid of the man who murdered her father. And it was something she would never forget.

"Sango...Sango..." a man's voice sounded.

"...Father?" Sango moaned and rubbed her eyes open. "Oh. It's you, Miroku...say wait a minute—what are you doing in my house again??" Sango leapt up on her feet and chased Miroku, welting him on the head. "You're breaking in my house for the _second time._"

"But, Sango—OW! I—OW! Please—OW!" Miroku winced at every strike Sango made against him. He then only realized she had stopped and he had been cringing at her feet. Embarrassed, he stood up and brushed himself off, and cleared his throat.

"Humph." Sango lifted her head high and crossed her arms, turning her back on him. Which wasn't the best plan...

...A wandering hand rested itself below her hips...

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

While Sango was busy teaching Miroku a lesson, Kagome was out wondering the streets, alone...and afraid...

* * *

A black-haired girl with green eyes clutched a shaking hand to her bloodstained shirt. Her face was dirty and pale, for she was frightened for her life. She leaned against a rickety fence and took several raspy breaths.

"Where am I? ...What have I done...? Why do I have blood on.......Kagura? It's Kagura's blood. I'm sure of it...after all; she _was _the last person I attacked...but it was two nights ago...oh, damn. Why does it have to be like this? Why—" the girl cried and jumped back, startled, when a sandy-haired child with blue eyes tapped her shoulder.

"Lady, do you know where I am?" the child asked. The girl, Kagome, accidentally hit the child, for he had taken her by surprise. "Lady hurt Hachiro! Hachiro is hurt!" Hachiro, the little boy, sobbed and a thin blood line graced his cheek. Kagome's eyes widened and she opened her arms to embrace the little Hachiro. Hachiro stopped sobbing and saw the blood on Kagome's chest. "LADY HURT HACHIRO! HACHIRO IS HURT! LADY HAS HACHIRO'S BLOOD ON HER SHIRT!!" he screamed and tried to back away from the startled teenage girl.

"No! No, I—I—didn't—couldn't—I'm sorry! I..." Tears burst from Kagome's watery green eyes and she ran off, blinded from view, until she came to the corner and she stopped to lean against a lamp post to catch her breath. Everything was a blur—things happened so quickly, she didn't have time to realize what had happened. Kagome was going to make sure of it though: if she stayed away from people, she couldn't harm them...right?

* * *

A street across from where Hachiro and Kagome were, three other teenagers were walking along. There were two boys and with them a girl. The taller boy had snowy-white hair, the other had obsidian hair and the girl next to him had chestnut hair. She was smacking the black-haired boy, and the white-haired one was snickering. The girl glared at the both of them.

"I still don't know where Kagome could have gone to! I wish I knew..." Sango sighed and InuYasha glanced at her.

"Sango, that's why we're out here! We're looking for her!" Miroku said.

Sango nodded solemnly.

"Wait a second," InuYasha growled and he held out his arm to stop Sango and Miroku from continuing forward. "I smell blood...and the presence of a demon..."

Sango's jaw dropped and she pushed her way through InuYasha.

"Blood? Did you say...blood?" she squeaked in a timid voice and immediately, thoughts rushed to Kagome's safety and well-being. "And did you say a _demon?_" A lump formed in her throat as InuYasha nodded his head. Suddenly, a tug at her pants and a meow filling her ears, the brown-haired girl saw her cat, Kilala, sitting there, and the strange thing was...her cat was on _fire!_ It was true! Flames were dancing off the cream-colored coat of Kilala. The only thing that Sango didn't know was—besides the extra tail—was that her very own feline was a neko-youkai, or cat-demon.

Kilala was growling and her eyes shined a bright red. Sango stared, transfixed, and tried to make a sound, but nothing came out. Instead, she reached out a steady hand towards Kilala. Kilala made a rumbling noise in her throat and stepped back. Immediately, a large rush of flames shot upward in the neko-youkai's spot, and Kilala disappeared in them. Sango shrieked.

"KILALA!"

Her fear and anxiety turned into curiosity as a larger version of Kilala stood massively in front of Sango. It was still the same creature, only this large animal had long fangs like a saber tooth tiger's. The transformed Kilala mewled and rubbed her head against Sango. Sango sighed in relief and ducked down to look at her pet's face.

"I wonder how she transformed...I've never noticed anything strange about her, except for the fact she had a second tail..." Sango thought aloud; Miroku shrugged.

"Are we gonna talk about Sango's demon cat all day, or are we going to look for Kagome?" InuYasha spat loudly. "Forget you two if that's what you plan on doing. _I'm _going to look for her...and I'll die trying if I have to..." The white-haired teenage boy started to walk off, and as he did so, he lowered his head and whispered softly: "Kagome...I'll find you, and I promise you that."

"InuYasha..." the chestnut-haired girl muttered and she started forwards in his direction; the half-demon turned his head to look at her. Tears were filling his golden orbs and, blushing, he wiped them away. He murmured, "I just got something in my eye, is all... C'mon. Let's go find her." Sango smiled weakly and turned to the large neko-youkai. She swung her leg over Kilala's back and seated herself on it as if she was riding a horse. The black-haired boy promptly seated himself behind her and shot off skyward; InuYasha took off running down the street below them.

"Do you see anything?" Miroku called over the sound of the wind rushing against them.

"No, nothing yet!" came Sango's reply.

He turned his head downwards to see a red figure streaking over the ground below. It looked like InuYasha hadn't seen anything yet that could lead where Kagome was.

"AAAAAH!" came a husky cry; the couple's heads twisted in its direction and InuYasha stopped sprinting. Instead, he changed course and ran down the street across from them. Sango and Miroku followed. No sooner had they arrived, Kagome was backing away from someone. Shockingly, the boy, Hachiro, was really a demon in surprise and Kagome was lured into him. Hachiro no longer had the innocent face of a toddler and his eyes were a luminous red. He had fangs for teeth and a foul odor came from his now enormous body; the demon was drooling madly and he lunged at Kagome, who shrieked and jumped away just in time.

As she looked where she had once been standing, the demon had slashed away at the concrete. The frightened girl stumbled away and ran straight into a stop sign. CLANG! She fell down and saw an ominous shadow fall over her. She stared up into the piercing red eyes and knew she was a goner. The raven-haired girl cringed in fright and waited for the final blow. But it never came. Kagome saw why and was grinning.

A red and white streak flew in front of the demon and swung at it. The demon crashed to the ground and was no more. A triumphant hanyou stood over it and flexed his claws.

"Mess with her, and you're messin' with me." InuYasha said proudly. The snowy-haired boy turned to the raven-haired girl and she came running towards him and into his arms.

"Oh, I was so scared! I knew I was a goner for sure and then _you_ showed up and now I'm _not_ a goner, _oh thank you_, InuYasha!" she cried as she buried her face into his chest. InuYasha's face brightened a dark red when he saw Miroku and Sango standing there. The embarrassed hanyou nudged Kagome away.

"Yes, _thank you, InuYasha..._" Miroku mimicked and he kicked a leg up in the air and clasped his hands together; InuYasha growled at Miroku and marched right up to him in the face.

"Listen, you..." he growled as he jabbed a finger in the boy's face.

"Huh? Wh—what's going on...?" Sango and Kagome asked as the ground started to rumble and shake. InuYasha lowered his finger from Miroku's face and looked around. Miroku's eyes widened and he realized what was going on.

"This must be an earthquake! Either that or something much, much worse is happening..." he exclaimed with a horrified expression on his face.

It was Sango the first to realize that Kagome was in danger. Only she was too late. By the time she was about to reach her friend, Kagome had fallen down the crack. Sango crouched to the edge to look down. She sighed in relief—Kagome had caught onto a jutting rock down below. She called Kagome's name and the black-haired girl looked up; her eyes were weary. As Kagome tried to climb up towards the surface, a man's laughter rang in her ears and vine-like arms swirled upwards and tangled themselves around Kagome, who was screaming and kicking them for her life, but to no prevail. They were much too strong and she pulled to the depths of the damned. Sango leaned over the crack further when Miroku cautioned her. Sango fell downwards and Miroku tried to catch her, only he too fell downwards. InuYasha sighed and climbed down the crack before it closed up, closely followed by the large Kilala.

It was a long drop downwards, and Sango and Miroku were lucky they didn't break any bones. InuYasha reached them momentarily and debated on they all split up. Naturally, Miroku wanted to team up with Sango. Sango sighed and suggested they all stay together so they won't get lost. Miroku was happy either way. Of course.

"Kagome!" Sango cried at the top of her lungs. It was hot down here, although that was because of the reason they were in the Underworld. Although they were not dead—a good note to know—that was for sure. "Kagome! Are you okay?" Her voice echoed and bounced off the walls. Anyone down here would hear them easily. But just how many living—or not living—things could be down here??

"Oh, she's fine all right...but how long will you be sure of that, Sango...?" a cold male's voice whispered out of the darkness in one tunnel. Sango froze in her spot, a gasp escaping her lips. How did this man know her name? Her jaw dropped when the man stepped out of the shadows. He had long black hair, a pale white face, and cold black eyes. The chestnut-haired girl immediately recognized who he was and stepped back several paces.

"N—Naraku?!" she whispered in a shocked tone.

"I guess you could call me that, although I prefer _Kojigoku_..." he sneered.

"You bastard—where's Kagome?"

Kagome suddenly appeared and she was bound by the wrists and chains attached to the wall linked around her ankles. She had a worried look on her face which was paling by the second. She cried out to Sango.

"Sango, be careful! Please! He's dangerous!"

"Thanks for that, Kagome. You know, Naraku, the moment I saw you, I knew there was something eerie about you. I never could figure out how you, a—a demon, could be allowed in the school," Sango crossed her arms and took several more paces back, away from Naraku. "Now I'm going to say this once—give Kagome back to us and we'll leave. No, give Kagome back to us and stop possessing her. What do you say?"

Naraku's lips curled, showing two pearly white canines, and he grinned peevishly at her.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, dear Sango. See, I'm not that kind of guy who lets people off that easy..."

"So I've heard..." Sango muttered under her breath.

"You have to fight me in order to get Kagome back, free from her possessed state, but I promise you, you won't beat me,"

He opened an arm to his side and the chains pulled Kagome against the wall forcefully. She groaned and fell to her knees. Weapons then appeared beside her—a large bone boomerang, a sheathed sword, sutras/ofudas, and a staff. Kilala stepped forward beside Sango and nuzzled her mistress's cheek. Sango patted the large feline's head and glared at Naraku. Miroku stood close by Sango and InuYasha stared at Kagome, then glared at Naraku.

This was it. They had to fight to save a dear friend's life. Kagome's safe well-being was in their hands. They must fight for Kagome's freedom. And it wasn't going to be easy.


	16. Fight For Freedom

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**

...Fight For Freedom...

**Disclaimer: Don't own them, never will. **

**A/N: I'd like to especially thank** Demon-Slayer13 **for helping me with this chapter, since I had writer's block. Thank you! And thank you, my faithful reviewers! I'm really grateful for you people!! **

Sango stared sadly at Kagome, who was still linked to the cave wall. She was shaking her head and mumbling constantly.

"No...Sango-chan... No, you don't have to do this...please...I don't want you ending up hurt...again..." Kagome mumbled softly as she gazed up into her best friend's eyes. Sango glared at Naraku.

"Kagome, I _have _to do this! I am choosing to fight him—for your freedom. Trust me on this one, Kagome-chan. Please...trust me..." Sango growled. Kagome finally nodded solemnly and closed her eyes and prayed for the best.

Sango turned to Naraku, picked up Hiraikotsu, and pulled it over her shoulder. As she turned around to walk away, she stepped on some cloth material. She glanced down and saw a black cat suit (demon slayer suit) and picked it up. It had a gas mask and gas bombs with it, and on the collar of the sleeves, a hidden blade. The chestnut-haired girl smirked and stepped into the shadows to put it on. This suit would come in handy...

InuYasha took the sheathed sword and Miroku took the ofudas/sutras and the staff. As InuYasha was looking at his new sword, he felt something poking him on his leg. He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Stop it, Miroku. I know you like to touch people, but seriously. Quit it."

Miroku stared and his jaw twitched.

"InuYasha, I'm not touching anyone. Plus, that was a rude comment."

"Who's doing it then?"

"Search me." Miroku glanced down and stared. "InuYasha, I think I found your answer... Look down at your leg."

InuYasha frowned and looked down. Standing by his leg was a child kitsune who came up to the hanyou's knee. The kitsune had bright orange hair and blue eyes and was wearing a furry brown vest, a light blue shirt, and dark blue pants that puffed out. He cowered under InuYasha's gaze and hid behind Miroku.

"P-p-please, d-d-don't h-h-hurt m-m-me!" he whimpered.

"And just who are you anyway?" InuYasha scowled.

"I'm Shippou," the kitsune replied as he continued to sink behind Miroku even more.

"What are you doing down here? You're not Naraku's slave or something, are you?" Shippou nodded fearfully.

"Yes, Naraku made me his servant! He said that I didn't want him to be my foe and that he would kill me if I didn't become his slave! Believe me, I don't wanna be his slave!!" Shippou fell on his knees and stared into InuYasha's blank expression. The hanyou bent over and lifted the kitsune up by his big fluffy tail. "Hey! Let me go!"

"Let him go, InuYasha." Kagome said from across the room. InuYasha scowled and dropped Shippou, who transformed into a pink balloon-like creature and floated around the white-haired boy's head, snickering. InuYasha flicked a talon into Shippou and the kitsune turned back to normal.

"I don't have all day, you know." Naraku sighed as he crossed his arms. He was wearing a white baboon pelt and was walking over to Sango. He lifted a hand and tilted Sango's head upwards.

"Don't touch her!" Miroku hissed and swung at Naraku with the staff, while Kirara jumped and pounced on him, but missed; Naraku snapped his fingers and Kirara went flying towards the wall and transformed back into her normal state. Sango cried and ran over to her cat and cradled her in her arms. Naraku smirked.

"Protective of her, aren't you?"

"SHUT UP!"

Naraku leaned in closer to Sango and her eyes widened. She flicked her wrist and the hidden blade popped out. Sango slashed at Naraku across the cheek while he trailed a finger on the cut; his finger was stained red. He lunged at her and Sango leapt backwards and forced Hiraikotsu in front of her.

InuYasha and Miroku jumped in battle to help. The fight for Kagome's freedom from Naraku began. InuYasha flew high in the air and raised his sword, the Testsusaiga, up above his head and brought hit down, and missed. Naraku backed away and tentacles flew out from underneath his pelt and wrapped themselves around InuYasha, squeezing him. Sango saw InuYasha and threw Hiraikotsu, which sliced through the tentacles, and InuYasha fell to the ground on his feet; Sango caught Hiraikotsu and jumped at Naraku, slashing at him constantly.

"You can't beat me—_no one_ can beat me!" Naraku boasted.

"Shut up and we'll prove you wrong," Sango hissed at him.

Meanwhile, InuYasha was trying to get Shippou help to fight...

"Get out there, you stupid little kitsune or I'll have to make you get out there!"

"No! I don't wanna—don't make me—nooooooo! Leggo of my leg! InuYasha!" InuYasha had picked Shippou up in the air by his tail and the kitsune was flailing around and finally transformed into his pink balloon state again. Shippou floated around and Miroku pushed him away from his head, sending him to hit Naraku on the head. For a moment, Naraku was distracted and Sango took advantage of it and swung Hiraikotsu at him. His left arm fell and the chestnut-haired girl expected he would grow tentacles to form an arm there, but nothing happened.

"Watch out, Sango!" Miroku yelled as he come running towards her and struck Naraku in the chest with the staff. He threw sutras/ofudas onto him and Naraku still howled in pain from Sango's hit and Miroku's staff hitting him in the chest.

InuYasha had been in the background, practicing attacks on his sword, and found one very useful.

"Now it's my turn..." InuYasha mumbled and came running behind Naraku. "Where the wind collides, there's an opening...I see it! WIND SCAR!"

Naraku slowly turned around to see a humongous blast of energy come rushing towards him. He had no time to react and was swallowed up by the attack. The room flashed white and nobody could see for a moment. The light then subsided and a very large crater was formed around where Naraku lay crumpled. He was hurt very badly and would not be able to fight anymore.

"Your promise, Naraku." Miroku growled as he prodded the demon with his foot. "Let Kagome go free. You don't possess her anymore, _Kojigoku_,"

Naraku growled and tried to stand up, but couldn't and found that his legs were broken. He sat back down and glared at everyone else and said nothing. InuYasha was getting tired.

"Just let her go, dammit! It's not that hard!" Naraku flashed a cold stare in the hanyou's direction and snapped his fingers. The chains holding Kagome to the wall snapped in half and she was free! Kagome ran up to Sango and embraced her. Sango held her like that for a long time and Kagome kept on crying, "Free...I'm _free! _Wow...freedom..." Sango smiled at Kagome and whispered, "Yes, Kagome, _freedom_ _at last_..."

"You're just a bitch, you know that?" Naraku growled at Kagome. She stared at him hard and released herself from Sango's grasp and walked straight up to him and stomped on his face.

"Sorry, what was that? I didn't catch what you said...wanna repeat yourself? No? You don't _want _to? Oh, poor baby...afraid big, mean, old Kagome is gonna beat him up! Yeah, well, I got _news_ for you pal. You ain't possessin' _nobody_ these days—ever again!" Kagome grinned and 'accidentally' kicked him again.

"Kagome..." Kagome looked over and saw her dear hanyou's face. She grinned and ran up to him and jumped into his arms. "Finally, you're free. I have you all to myself." He mumbled in her ear as he noticed Miroku trying to eavesdrop.

"Say, Sango, why don't _you_ ever jump into _my _arms like that? It could be _fun_, you know..." he flashed her a playful grin.

"Well, maybe because you're a pervert and I can't trust where your hands are plotting to go next?" She walked over to him and gave him a quick peck on the forehead and whispered in his ear, "But you're _my_ little perv..." Miroku smiled broadly. "Just don't tell anyone I said that..." she added dryly.

"So...what should we do with this guy?" Kagome asked. "Personally, I was thinking we could take him to _'the fluffy room'_..." she grinned at Sango—carrying Kirara on her shoulder—who, like everyone else, had a questioning face.

"Well, I call the _mental asylum_ the _fluffy room_..." she laughed into Sango's ear, and Sango, too, burst out laughing.

"Sounds good to me!" InuYasha said and he glanced over at Naraku, still moaning in pain and was touching his face tenderly.

"By node...I dink you boke by node! (My nose...I think you broke my nose!)" He howled.

"Shut up." InuYasha hissed as he picked up Naraku's legs—the demon howled in even more pain—and dragged him back to the entrance where they had come from. Miroku looked back as he heard Shippou shouting for them to wait for him. The kitsune scurried over to Miroku and hopped on his shoulder.

* * *

Kagome sighed and rubbed Shippou's head as she rested her legs on the coffee table in Miroku's house and Sango glanced over at her and laughed as she stroked Kirara's head.

"Feels good to be free from that jerk, doesn't it, Kagome-chan?"

"Definitely!" Kagome agreed and she leaned her head on InuYasha's shoulder

"I wonder how the _fluffy room_ suits him..." Sango wondered aloud and looked at Miroku, who was grinning at the thought.

"Some time, we should check up on that _old friend_ of ours." Kagome grinned evilly.

"School should be starting pretty soon, and _everyone's_ gonna be so surprised to see you back in school!" Sango reminded. Kagome stared at Sango.

"Why? What did everyone say? Sango-chan..."

"Um..."

"Sango..."

"Okay, okay! Well, they said, uh... _'I heard that that Higurashi chick went crazy and had to go to rehab. I mean, did you see the way how she'd stand up in the middle of class while sensei was teaching, and yell out some guy's name how she'd never forgive him? Some weird name, like InuYasha. I think his parents must've been dropped on their heads to name him that.'_"

InuYasha cracked his knuckles, and growled, "Some weird name, huh? Well, I'm gonna teach them a lesson!"

Kagome said nothing and flopped her head back against the couch.

"Well, I don't care; it's nothing to get all worked up about, now is it?" she finally replied.

"You're right, Kagome, it isn't something to worry about." Sango smiled.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. Everyone looked at each other and Sango shrugged and got up to answer it. InuYasha sank in his chair, hoping it wouldn't be Kikyou. Sango opened the door and a blur of orange jumped into her arms.

"Ayame-chan! Oh, my gosh! How are you? It's been forever since I last saw you! I—oh, this is Kagome, I've told you about her before." Sango chirped happily and pulled Ayame over to Kagome, when behind Ayame, another girl stepped inside the house. "Kikyou? Oh, hi! Err, what a surprise! It's been, err, a while since we, uh, saw each other! Uh, where've you been?" Sango fidgeted nervously on the fact that Kikyou and Kagome were rivals for InuYasha's affections.

Kagome saw Kikyou and sunk lower in her seat next to InuYasha, who was lowering himself as well. Luckily, Kikyou didn't 'notice' them. Ayame sat next to Kagome and introduced herself.

"Hi, I'm Ayame, Sango's friend. Hee. So...you're Kagome, huh? Cool, I've been _dying_ to meet you, ya know? Yeah... Oh, and who's your little friend?" Ayame bent down and scooped up Shippou in her arms. "Oh, you're so adorable! I could just squeeze you to death!"

"AAH! No—please—don't squeeze me!" Shippou whined and leapt on Miroku's shoulders.

"So..._Kikyou_..." Kagome began with an icy tone. The two girls glared at each other.

"_Higurashi_...I finally get to see you... _InuYasha_..." Kikyou nodded at him; InuYasha frowned at Kikyou and put on a fake smile and nervously laughed.

"Uhh...we'll be over..._there!_" Sango said nervously and she, Miroku, Ayame, Shippou, and Kirara, all ran from the room—anime style—as Kagome and Kikyou began a cat fight.

"InuYasha is _mine! I _had him first, not you!" The group heard Kagome screech.

"Well, I had him, too!" Kikyou growled.

InuYasha watched the argument warily, he didn't want Kikyou getting hurt but he loved Kagome.  
  
"COME ON KIKYOU! HE'S MINE! I..." Kagome had just about let slip that she had been possessed, but swallowed and said, "I lost him once and I'm not going to lose him again!"  
  
"Well, he _should_ have been mine in the first place!" Kikyou screamed.  
  
InuYasha was wondering if he should stop this before it got physical. He then thought of how much he had missed Kagome when she was gone, and he wanted Kikyou to be happy, but Kagome was the most important thing right now. He sighed and stood up. Walking over to the tug-of-war between him, he quickly shouted over the girls' screeching.

"LISTEN TO ME! NOW, SHUT UP, THE BOTH OF YOU!"

Immediately, the two girls' comments ended, but Kagome had a question. "InuYasha, it's up to you now. So...who do you choose?"  
  
InuYasha had feared that question it was up to him, he had an answer but it would break Kikyou's heart. He took a deep breath. 

"I hate to say this, Kikyou, but I love Kagome. I know this may be hard for you to accept it, I always have and I always will,"

Everyone anxiously paused, waiting for Kikyou's response.

Instead, she huffed and crossed her shoulders, daring to not look the hanyou in the eye. She made a low rumbling in her throat to show she was very upset and she began to speak in a hoarse voice.

"Fine, then...if that's what you want...I can't make you change your mind, although, if you _did_ choose me, you would've been _very_ happy..." she sighed. "But...you didn't, so...goodbye, InuYasha," Kikyou then walked over to Ayame and said goodbye sorrowfully and then headed toward Sango and threw her arms around her friend. "Goodbye to you, too, Sango, I'm moving out of town anyway with my parents. I don't think we'll be able to see each other again. I'm sorry..." She let go of Sango slowly and turned to face the door, her back to everyone. Kagome stuck her tongue out. Kikyou turned the doorknob, stepped outside Miroku's house, and the door closed shut behind her. Kikyou was gone...gone forever.

And Sango, nor Ayame, would ever see their friend again.

"Well, that's that." Ayame sighed painfully. "So, who's up for a movie?" Everyone stared at her and she blushed embarrassedly.

"I'm glad she's gone..." Kagome admitted softly. She then turned to InuYasha and gazed up at him. "Did you truly had some feelings for her, InuYasha?"

InuYasha didn't respond.

"I-InuYasha...?"

"...Yes, actually, I did...it was while you weren't at school. I-I'm sorry, Kagome..." InuYasha finally answered.

"Well, as long as you promise to stay by my side, it's okay." Kagome said and tweaked his ears.

"I promise, Kagome," InuYasha mumbled as he pulled her into his arms. She rested her hands on his torso and let her head lean against his. Sango stared intently at them and saw Ayame blushing as she turned away. Miroku pulled Sango closer to him and motioned for Ayame that they should go into a different room. Ayame nodded and followed the couple.

Miroku closed his bedroom door and Sango and Ayame sat down on his bed and he sat on his swindly chair.

"Ay-Ayame-chan...how's..._things_...between you and Kouga-kun?" Sango asked. Ayame stared at her and burst into a grin.

"GREAT! He promised that he would come pick me up at my house tomorrow and take me somewhere _secluded_..." Her grin continued to widen and Sango stifled a laugh. She had a sort of idea where Ayame meant 'secluded', but chose to say nothing, mostly for not encouraging Miroku to speak of that certain topic...

"Hey, I think we can go back in the living room now...they stopped being so mushy." Miroku said as he poked his head around the corner in the hallway. Sango and Ayame stood up and walked after him and entered the living room. They were watching television as they sat on the carpeted floor.

* * *

A slim shady figure wearing a white cloak stepped into the room and the metal door slammed shut. The walls were covered in soft, cushiony material, and there was another shady figure sitting in a dark corner. The cloaked figure pulled off her white cloak to reveal her face. It was Kikyou. She smirked as she saw Naraku in his straight jacket, and he was glaring at her moodily.

"Naraku, I see you've grown accustomed to your room?" she mocked. Naraku growled and made sure not to catch her eye. He hadn't forgotten that she had beaten him that one day in the school cafeteria. Kikyou was sitting with Sango and Ayame and he had come over, teasing Sango about Kagome, and Kikyou easily knocked him to the floor. "You haven't forgotten that I knocked you to the floor that day...at school. You still remember...don't you?" Kikyou said in a soft voice and sat down in a corner opposite from Naraku. He growled again and said nothing. "Well, I really should be going now. And...oh, wait, what's this? _You_ can't leave, but _I_ can! Oh, it's so good to be free. Anyways, ciao..." Kikyou grinned and slammed the metal door shut behind her.

Naraku looked up and saw she had left. He kicked the wall, and, losing his balance, fell flat on his face. He struggled to get up, but since his hands were secured behind his back, it was difficult. The demon just decided to lay there until he fell asleep. Through the window in the metal door, Kikyou stared through and laughed, then left the building of the asylum.

Kikyou pulled her cloak closer to her, being a cold, windy day, and hurried along the sidewalk. She stopped at an intersection, waiting for the stop light to turn red. Finally, it changed, and she stuffed her hands into her pockets as she ran across the street. Blinding lights suddenly came into view and Kikyou stopped where she was. She couldn't see and she didn't know if she was standing in the road, or safely on the other side. The lights came closer and closer and a truck horn blared. Kikyou screamed as the lights came right on top of her.

* * *

"Hey, you guys, get a load of this. Some truck driver hit some woman, I don't know if she's alright or not, though. I kinda hope she is..." Kagome shouted to Sango, Ayame, and Miroku, who were all in the kitchen. They poked their heads out and settled themselves next to Kagome and InuYasha.

"We're live here today in the middle of Tokyo, where a truck driver hit an unsuspecting woman. We're not exactly sure if she's fine, but hopefully, she will make it... I'm Miya Tamaguchi with Tokyo Live." The news reporter said on the television.

"Wait, don't change it yet, InuYasha! I want to find out if she's alright or not!" Kagome complained and grabbed the remote from stubborn InuYasha.

The television showed a couple of men carrying the injured woman on a stretcher and the camera zoomed up, only to show Kikyou's pale face, which now had many bruises and large cuts. She opened her eyes and moaned softly, "InuYasha...if you're...watching this...I'm sorry for everything...and...I...love you..." Everyone stared from the TV screen to InuYasha, who was turning white and his golden eyes were brimming with tears. Kagome stared in shock as InuYasha muttered something incoherent.

"Kikyou...no...Kikyou, I'm so sorry..." he whispered and clutched his chest, which was knotting in pain. He stood up abruptly and said he was going somewhere. Miroku knew 'somewhere' meant that InuYasha was going to find Kikyou. Even though Kagome hated Kikyou with everything she had, deep inside her, she felt truly sorry for Kikyou. But she wouldn't be too happy with the idea of InuYasha comforting Kikyou, if she found out.

Sango and Ayame held each other and tears were spilling from their eyes. Their friend, their dear friend, Kikyou, was hurt, probably close to death, and here they were, sitting here and watching TV. They, too, got up and announced they were leaving 'somewhere'. They left Miroku with Kagome, and Shippou and Kilala. Kagome said nothing and Miroku watched the door shut close behind his girlfriend and her friend.

Was Kikyou going to make it...?

* * *

Is_ Kikyou going to make it? I'm not sure myself, her being one of my favorite characters. Anyways, here is a shout-out to _Demon-Slayer13_ for helping me with part of this chapter. Thank you so much!_


	17. Clinging to Life

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**

...Clinging To Life...

**Disclaimer: I don't think I'd _ever_ be able to own InuYasha, now do you? Nope.**

**A/N: Oh, by the way, I'm writing a short story that should be about 7-(8)? chapters featuring Kagome and InuYasha in "Seven Days", where InuYasha is mistaken for a dog and gets taken to a dog pound. He will be put down in seven days if no one comes to pick him up. So Kagome is trying to figure a way to get him out, or at least raise enough money. Hope you like it!**

**InuYasha: I wonder if that asylum place will be able to hold a demon like Naraku.**

**Kikyou: I put a weakening spell on him, so he will be able to stay put in there. And just in case, I put a rosary on him just like how Kaede put that rosary on you, InuYasha, love... **rubs his ears

**Sango:** gasp** So smart!**

****

Kagome watched InuYasha, Sango, and Ayame all leave to go to Kikyou's aid. Sure, she felt _sorry_ for Kikyou, and she _would_ like to help her, but right now, she was concerned about InuYasha. Had he lied to her about his choice? Did he really love Kikyou better? Or did he love her, Kagome, more than anything else in the world?

"Move aside, people! I said to MOVE!" InuYasha shoved people to the side as Sango and Ayame trailed after him. _'I need to get to Kikyou... Please be alive, Kikyou, please be alive...' _he thought anxiously and wiped at his eyes.

"Excuse me. Sorry. Oops. Sorry, didn't mean to step on you, sir." They apologized as they tried to keep up with their hanyou friend. Finally, InuYasha found what he had come looking for. He kneeled down beside Kikyou, laying on a stretcher, and reached out a hand to stroke her face.

Kikyou opened her eyes and batted her lashes as she felt the familiar touch of InuYasha. She reached a hand out to touch his cheek. She smiled dimly and her black eyes gazed into his golden ones. Her hand trailed to his lips and they rested there. InuYasha shivered with a sensational feeling that sent pleasure down his spine.

Finally, Sango and Ayame reached to Kikyou and hovered over her. Kikyou turned her attention from InuYasha to her two friends. Sango and Ayame dove down and wrapped their arms around Kikyou. They sobbed into her neck and she just clung onto them, afraid to lose them.

"Oh, Kikyou, are you okay??" Ayame cried. "We were so worried!!"

"I think I'm alright..." Kikyou sighed as she looked into InuYasha's face. She squeezed his hand. InuYasha's eyes were brimming with tears and he furiously wiped them away.

"It's okay, InuYasha, it's okay to cry..." Sango whispered and Ayame nodded.

"I'm—not—crying..." he sniveled. He fell on the ground and held onto Kikyou. "Kikyou, I'm sorry, I don't want it to end this way! I'm sorry about earlier. Kikyou...don't die on me. Please don't..."

"InuYasha..." Kikyou whispered and squeezed his hand again. "I'm sorry, too. I know I was being rude and all, and I know that you and Kagome were together before, but I just was having a bad day...and it's gotten worse...what with me getting hit by that trucker and all..." she said breathlessly. InuYasha hushed her and pulled her into his strong arms.

"It's okay, Kikyou, I'm here now, and that's all that matters..." he whispered softly and she made a tiny sound of contentment.

Miroku stared at Kagome, who was staring back at him. He opened his mouth to say something, but chose not to, and closed his mouth and sighed. Kagome suddenly piped up.

"Miroku...I—I'm _worried_ about InuYasha."

"Kagome, what would worry you about him?" Miroku asked thoughtfully.

"Well, it's _Kikyou_ I'm meaning..." she shot a glance at him and he understood. "C'mon! Let's make it down to the accident! Maybe we can make it..." She followed Miroku out the house, closing it behind her and hopefully thought to herself: _'Kikyou just better not try anything...please don't do anything, Kikyou, I love him so much...'_

Kikyou held onto InuYasha's hand for a long time, having Sango and Ayame sit behind her, very close. After all, their friend was on the brink of death...

"Kikyou, I don't want it to end like this...please...you have to stay with us. Just hold on a little longer, please, Kikyou..." the hanyou cried as tears began to sting his eyes.

"InuYasha, I don't know... I think I need...some help..." she said in sharp breaths. The paramedics beside her heard her sharp intakes and immediately rushed to her side. They hoisted the stretcher up and it was loaded into the ambulance. InuYasha hopped inside.

"Hey, wait for meeeeeee!" Sango and Ayame turned as they heard a girl call after the departing ambulance vehicle. Kagome came panting up the road as Miroku easily jogged alongside her. "Damn, the ambulance is gone... Hey, where's InuYasha?"

Sango shifted uneasily and looked around, not answering her friend.

Kagome tapped her foot impatiently...

"Well?" she snapped. "I can understand that that stupid hanyou won't answer me, but _you_, Sango?!" Sango scoffed and turned to look at Kagome fuming at her.

"He left." Sango said shortly.

"I can see that, Sango. But where?" Obviously Kagome was in a bad mood. Perhaps it was the bad aura in the air, or the thought of Kikyou with her hanyou made her anger very noticeable?

"He's with Kikyou. They went to the hospital." Sango sighed and scuffled over to Miroku and rested her head on his chest, rubbing her temples. She had a very bad migraine that pounded at her head.

Kagome sighed.

"I'm sorry, Sango-chan, it's just that..." Her voice trailed away. Sango glanced at Kagome and smiled as she left Miroku's warm body to her friend.

"It's okay, Kagome-chan. I understand. It's Kikyou...isn't it?"

Kagome nodded.

"Just...Kikyou....is all..."

"Kagome, eventually you and Kikyou are going to have to solve your differences. Remember that you and I are friends? If I can be Kikyou's friend, so can you!" Sango chided as she placed her hands on her hips. Kagome exhaled deeply and loudly.

"Kikyou and I are _never_ going to become friends! We both like the same guy! We'll always be competing against each other!" Kagome pouted stubbornly.

Sango frowned and let out a sigh.

"If we're lucky, we can catch up to the ambulance and you can meet up with InuYasha at the hospital! C'mon, Miroku and Ayame!"

Somehow, they had enough energy left to sprint up and down hills until they made it to a large hospital that towered high in the air. Miroku breathlessly pushed the door open, and the group walked in, tired and lost of breath.

InuYasha sat at in a seat in the waiting room, hoping desperately for Kikyou's results, whether she was going to make it, or... He shook his head. He couldn't bear to think of the consequences! _"I've just got to stay positive, t-that's all...stay positive" _He told himself. He tapped his fingers nervously and kept glancing at the clock. It ticked very loudly, which was rather unusual. Or maybe it was because the room was so quiet?

The double doors leading to the waiting room burst open with a crash and the woman at the counter glared at Kagome, who happened to be in front. She paid no heed and marched over to InuYasha, who was sinking lower and lower in his seat, hiding his face with an old, out-dated magazine, which the pages were fading and torn from over the years.

"INUYASHA!!!" Kagome exclaimed in an angry tone. InuYasha sunk even lower in his seat, if that were even possible for him... "Don't you _dare _try and hide under that magazine—I _know_ it's you!"

The magazine slid down from his face and his face was paler than a ghost's. His lower lip trembled.

"Kagome, uh, whatever are you doing _here_ of all places?" he asked shakily and winced as Kagome slapped him.

"Don't you try playing dumb on me, dog-boy!"

"Kagome, uh, why are you m-mad?" He smiled hopefully, but he knew very well why his girlfriend was angry with him.

"You know damn well why!" Kagome then lowered her voice. "InuYasha...don't you realize it? How much I care for you? I would _never, ever_ leave your side...and yet, _you_ left me today..." she whispered as tears begged to stream from her eyes. Her hands started to tremble and she collapsed onto him. "InuYasha, I don't want to lose you! I love you so much! It's just that I don't want Kikyou stealing you from me! I _need_ you..."

InuYasha was speechless. He didn't know what to say... All he could think of was to hold onto her and he stroked her lovingly. He hushed her and her cries died down. Eventually, she stopped sobbing and was now smiling as her cheeks shined with the tears and her eyes were pink.

"There, now, Kagome...it's okay, I'm here..." InuYasha mumbled into her ear and she nodded gratefully. At that moment, the door in the corner—one leading to where Kikyou was kept—opened up very slowly, so slowly that it creaked. A foot stepped out and made a clunk on the hard linoleum floor. Then a white jacket whipped out, revealing the doctor himself. He looked very grim and walked over to InuYasha. The hanyou's face dropped and he couldn't feel his heart beating anymore.

The doctor opened his mouth to speak.

InuYasha closed his eyes, and tears brimmed dangerously in his golden orbs and they streamed quickly over one of his softly curved cheeks. He laid his head against Miroku's arm and Sango, Ayame, and Kagome looked expectantly at the doctor.

"Kikyou is fine, she's alive, and she's going to make it," InuYasha whipped his head up and a sound of happiness escaped through his lips. He blushed. "Although she does have some pretty bad wounds, it will take several weeks for her to fully recover. Other than that, she's fine. Oh, and I think she'd like to see you all, starting with you." He pointed at InuYasha, who arose and walked through the door, which closed shut behind him quietly. Kikyou's gasp of excitement could be heard through the door and Kagome smiled. Maybe Sango _was _right, she realized. Maybe Kagome and Kikyou really _can _be friends after all...

Kikyou had seen everyone and had now fallen asleep. She had told everyone that she was extremely happy they came to see her and that she was going to make it. She was even especially friendly with Kagome. Looks like a beginning of a new friendship. The two apologized to each other for being rude and always fighting over the hanyou. Miroku dropped Ayame off at her house, and InuYasha brought Kagome home, and now Sango and Miroku were seating in his living room, smiling at each other. Miroku patted the empty seat next to him and Sango immediately hopped on there and snuggled up against him.

Soon, very soon after that, she fell asleep, happy and grateful to know that Kikyou was alive and well, and was going to make it. Everything was perfect in life now. And nothing was going to stop that.


	18. The Final Ending

**DEPTHS OF THE DAMNED**

The Final Ending

-_or-_

Twister

**Disclaimer: Do you seriously think I'd actually own them? Heck, I wish I did! Although it would be hard to take care of InuYasha... **InuYasha**: _HEY!_** Me**: No. Wait. Actually, that'd be...** smacks Miroku** You...** Miroku**: Eh-heh...w-why don't we just get on to the story? _They _don't need to know anything...**

**A/N: Okay, I _seriously_ have major writer's block! Oh, and this is the very last chapter, too. I'm sorry it has to end! But I have a new IY story—"My Saviour, the Pirate". Hope you likies! **

Sango awoke in Miroku's arms and smiled. Yesterday had been such a long day! And very traumatic, too. But at least everyone was well and safe. She looked over at Miroku—he was still sound asleep. The girl slowly arose from the couch and walked over to the kitchen. She was alarmed as the lights flickered on and was surprised to see a grinning Kagome holding a plate of pancakes. Behind her, InuYasha was slaving over the stove. _InuYasha_ is making _pancakes?_ Something's wrong here.

"Uh...Kagome-chan... Why are you and InuYasha in my kitchen?" she asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer to that question or not.

"Um, actually, to tell the truth, I'm not so sure myself...I forgot." Kagome grinned and blushed a bright red. "Pancake?" She held out a pancake soaked in butter that was gripped in the pair of tongs she was holding. Sango's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"Butter is fattening. Maybe one that's _not _so buttery?" she asked hopefully. Kagome grinned again and chirped happily, "Coming right up!"

"Thanks, Kagome, but you don't have to..."

"Nonsense! I _want _to!" Kagome exclaimed as she danced around the kitchen as she gathered the pancake batter and tossed it to InuYasha, who was grumbling, obviously in a very bad mood.

Slowly, Sango crept out of the kitchen and dashed upstairs hurriedly.

Kagome turned around and saw Sango was gone. Suppressing a yawn, she shrugged her shoulders and headed to Miroku's living room.

* * *

"C'mon, Kagome, we're not going to make it! And tell InuYasha he better get down here now." Sango cried as she ran out the door. Kagome saluted and shouted at InuYasha. The hanyou poked his head around the corner and glared at her.

"I don't _wanna_ come..." he said as he stubbornly crossed his arms and made a puppy dog pout.

"Well, _fine_ then! I didn't think I'd have to resort to these..." she mumbled her last words and started rummaging through a pocket of her book bag lying around nearby. She glanced at her hanyou as she pulled out what looked like a rosary necklace. She muttered something and they quickly flew over to InuYasha's head and stuck themselves to InuYasha. He struggled as he pulled it off and glared at Kagome. She giggled.

"SIT." She said clearly and pointed a finger at him.

_CRASH!!_

"That's what you get for not listening to me. Now, come on. We don't want to be late!" Kagome mumbled as she looked at him behind her shoulder as she ran down the walkway.

* * *

The group piled into a small room and all flopped down in cushy chairs lining around a bed, which was centered in between their half-circle. In the bed, Kikyou lay there and stared at them all. She faltered a smile and stepped out of bed.

"I'm all better now, everyone. I'm so glad..." she looked over at Kagome. Kagome grinned.

"I'm sorry, Kikyou, about all our fights—" she started, but Kikyou held up a hand and walked over to Kagome and placed her hands on the schoolgirl's shoulders. She smiled softly into Kagome's face.

"No, Kagome, you shouldn't apologize. I can see why you probably never liked me." Kagome rolled her eyes jokingly. "I was a..._witch_... (To say it in polite terms) I never was trying at all to be nice to you. I _was_ really rude to you and I wish I wasn't, because we could've been friends a long time earlier."

"Remember when we had kindergarten together? We were the best of friends, and then we met InuYasha," the two girls looked at him and he blushed, "and we stopped being friends in the beginning of high school or junior high or whatever." Kikyou nodded.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. We're friends again, aren't we?" Kagome asked cheerfully and wrapped her arm around Kikyou's neck.

"Friends." Kikyou agreed as she nodded her head.

"Awww...group hug!" Sango said as she jumped up and embraced her two friends. "Looks like this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!" She grinned at Kagome and Kikyou couldn't help but laugh.

"Are you guys gonna _kiss_ or _what?_" InuYasha asked rudely. Kagome and Kikyou gave him a cold stare and he shrunk under their gaze. "Just don't mind me..." he whimpered and hid behind Miroku. "Those two...keep them _away_ from me!! They'll _**murder**_ me!! Did you see them glaring at me? It was pure evil!"

Miroku laughed.

InuYasha frowned and slunk away from the group and confined leaned back into one of the cushy chairs.

"Well, how long until you get to go home?" Sango and Kagome asked simultaneously.

"Today!" Kikyou answered.

"Really? I didn't think it'd be that soon!" Kagome said.

"It's been almost a month, Kagome. It's not that soon." Sango said and jokingly elbowed her. Kagome grinned sheepishly.

* * *

The gang helped Kikyou out the hospital and she decided to head home.

"Kikyou," Kagome called after her. "Are you _sure_ you don't want us to take you home? I mean, what if something happens—"

"It's okay, Kagome-chan, I'm fine. See? I can walk now." Kikyou demonstrated the walking motion. "I'm heading home, which is not too far from here...well, see you later," Kikyou waved goodbye and left the group.

"C'mon, Kagome, let's go." InuYasha said impatiently. Kagome nodded and crawled on his back and took off running down the sidewalk.

"Wonder where they're going..." Sango thought aloud. She glanced at Miroku who had a lecherous look on his face. He tried to hide it from Sango, but she glared at him. "Eww! You pervert! _That's_ _not what they're doing!_" she said shrilly at him.

"O-of c-course, what was I thinking?" Miroku said nervously and tried to pull his hand away from Sango's rear, but the thought tempted him even more. He could not resist the urge.

SLAP.

An unconscious Miroku lay sprawled on the ground and Sango dragged him home by his legs. She walked up to the front door and dropped Miroku once again on the ground as she rummaged for her keys. She pulled out a tiny silver key and shoved it into the keyhole and twisted it open. Miroku finally came to and groaned as he sat up.

"Sango, what...happened?" he moaned irritably.

"You copped a feel so I knocked you out." Sango growled and frowned at him. She crossed her arms and turned away from him.

"I'm sorry, Sango, I really am. I promise never to do it again." Miroku said angelically. Sango's face lightened and her eyes sparkled. She clasped her hands together and ran up to him.

"Do you really mean it, Miroku? You won't ever grope me again? Or any other girl?" she asked hopefully as she wrapped her arms around him and gave a quick peck on his cheek.

Miroku didn't answer, only smiled.

"You promise?"

Miroku looked away as he still smiled a little.

Sango sighed. _'He probably will.'_

"Let's go inside, Sango." Miroku said and surprised her as he picked her up bridal-style and went inside the house with her. Sango blushed uncontrollably and placed her hands on her face to hide her reddening cheeks.

People outside the house could hear Miroku exclaiming loudly, "Who wants to play _TWISTER??_" Then Sango's reply, "Miroku, you only like that game because you end up on top of me! You stupid pervert! AHH! Get away from me! Noooooooo! I won't! I won't! I won't play that game! Nooo!" Then a few seconds of silence, "Fine, then, since I have no choice..." "All right! Okay, right hand red...........left foot yellow...." "Ah, oh no!" "I'll help you, Sango..." "..._Don't touch me there!_" "Eh-heh..."

Kagome and InuYasha turned away from their friends' house and grinned at each other.

"How long do you think it'll last?" Kagome asked mischievously.

"Knowing Miroku, a _very_ long time..." InuYasha answered with an evil glint in his eye.

"I almost feel sorry for Sango-chan..." Kagome said quietly and glanced back at the house.

"Yeah, me too..." InuYasha agreed. He caught Kagome and grinned at her. "Who wants to play Twister?"

"InuYasha! No! Get away! Ahhhh!" And so a hanyou ran on four legs after the schoolgirl running the fastest she ever could. Eventually, he caught her in the end. And they joined Sango and Miroku in their little game of Twister. One game they would _never_ forget.

_-Owari_


End file.
